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Liège-Bastogne-Liège, often called La Doyenne ("the oldest"), is one of the five 'Classic cycle races
Classic cycle races

The classic cycle races are the most prestigious one-day professional cycling road bicycle racing in the List of road bicycle racing events. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century....
' of the European professional road cycling
Road bicycle racing

Road bicycle racing is a popular bicycle racing sport held on Road cycling , using racing bicycles. The term 'road racing' is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first at the end of the course ....
 calendar. The first edition was run in 1892 for amateurs, the first race for professionals taking place in 1894 when Leon Houa (who won the 1892 race as an amateur) triumphed. It is run in the Ardennes
Ardennes

The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and old mountains formed on the Givetian Ardennes mountains, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel....
 region of Belgium
Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
, from Liège
Liège (city)

Li?ge is a major Walloon Region city and Municipalities in Belgium in Belgium located in the Provinces of Belgium of Li?ge , of which it is the administrative capital....
 to Bastogne
Bastogne

Bastogne is a Belgium Municipalities in Belgium located in the Wallonia Provinces of Belgium of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old Municipalities in Belgium of Longvilly, Noville, Belgium, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin....
 and back.

e-Bastogne-Liège was part of the UCI Road World Cup and is part of the Belgian Ardennes Classics series, which includes La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne

La Fl?che Wallonne is a men's major professional road bicycle racing held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Fl?che Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Li?ge-Bastogne-Li?ge....
.






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Liège-Bastogne-Liège, often called La Doyenne ("the oldest"), is one of the five 'Classic cycle races
Classic cycle races

The classic cycle races are the most prestigious one-day professional cycling road bicycle racing in the List of road bicycle racing events. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century....
' of the European professional road cycling
Road bicycle racing

Road bicycle racing is a popular bicycle racing sport held on Road cycling , using racing bicycles. The term 'road racing' is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first at the end of the course ....
 calendar. The first edition was run in 1892 for amateurs, the first race for professionals taking place in 1894 when Leon Houa (who won the 1892 race as an amateur) triumphed. It is run in the Ardennes
Ardennes

The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and old mountains formed on the Givetian Ardennes mountains, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel....
 region of Belgium
Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
, from Liège
Liège (city)

Li?ge is a major Walloon Region city and Municipalities in Belgium in Belgium located in the Provinces of Belgium of Li?ge , of which it is the administrative capital....
 to Bastogne
Bastogne

Bastogne is a Belgium Municipalities in Belgium located in the Wallonia Provinces of Belgium of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old Municipalities in Belgium of Longvilly, Noville, Belgium, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin....
 and back.

History

Liège-Bastogne-Liège was part of the UCI Road World Cup and is part of the Belgian Ardennes Classics series, which includes La Flèche Wallonne
La Flèche Wallonne

La Fl?che Wallonne is a men's major professional road bicycle racing held in April each year in Belgium.The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Fl?che Wallonne is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race and Li?ge-Bastogne-Li?ge....
. Both are organised by Amaury Sport Organisation
Amaury Sport Organisation

The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the France media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris-Nice professional road bicycle racing, and the Dakar Rally....
. At one time, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège were run on successive days as Le Weekend Ardennais. Only six riders have achieved the Ardennes double by winning both in the same year: the Swiss
Switzerland

Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
 Ferdi Kübler twice (in 1951 and 1952), Belgians
Belgium

* A small German-speaking Community of Belgium exists in eastern Wallonia. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the history of Belgium and a complex Communities and regions of Belgium....
 Stan Ockers
Stan Ockers

Constant Ockers was a Belgium professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best cycling sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956....
 (1955) and Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx

Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , is a Demographics of Belgium former professional cyclist. The French magazine V?lo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all time....
 (1972), Italians
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 Moreno Argentin
Moreno Argentin

Moreno Argentin is an Italy former professional cyclist .Born at San Don? di Piave , he won stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de Suisse....
 (1991) and Davide Rebellin
Davide Rebellin

Davide Rebellin is an Italian road bicycle racer, riding for UCI Professional Continental team Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli....
 (2004), and the Spaniard
Spain

Spain or the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in Southern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though Espa?a , Estado espa?ol and Naci?n espa?ola are used interchangeably....
  Alejandro Valverde
Alejandro Valverde

Alejandro Valverde Belmonte is a Spain road racing cyclist for UCI ProTeam Caisse d'Epargne. Valverde's biggest wins have been Li?ge-Bastogne-Li?ge in 2006 Li?ge-Bastogne-Li?ge, 2008 Li?ge-Bastogne-Li?ge and 2006 UCI ProTour series championship....
 (2006).

The race has in several editions been affected by tough weather conditions. In 1919, 1957 and 1980 there were severe conditions with low temperatures and snow. Two riders shared the win of the 1957 race. Germain Derijcke was the first over the line but because he crossed a closed rail crossing, the second placed rider, Frans Schoubben, was promoted to first place as well. Derijcke was not disqualified because he had won with three minutes advantage so the judges felt he had not profited from illegally crossing the closed rail crossing. The 1980 edition is memorable because of snow that besieged the race from the start and referred to as neige-Bastogne-neige (snow-Bastogne-snow) by commentators. Bernard Hinault
Bernard Hinault

Bernard Hinault is a France cycling known for five victories in the Tour de France. He is one of only five cyclists to have won all three Grand Tour s, and the only cyclist to have won each more than once....
 attacked with 80km to go and finished nearly 10 minutes ahead.

Route

The race follows a straightforward 95 km route from Liège to Bastogne, and a winding 163 km route back to Liège. The second half contains most of the climbs, such as the Stockeu, Haute-Levée, La Redoute, Saint-Nicolas and the Col de Forges before finishing in the northern Liège suburb of Ans
ANS

Ans is a Belgian municipality in the province of Li?ge.*ans is the Old High German for "deity", see ?ssAs an acronym ANS may refer to:...
. The many hills give opportunities for riders to attack, and the race often rewards aggressive riders such as Michele Bartoli
Michele Bartoli

Michele Bartoli is a retired Italian road racing cyclist. He was a single-day race specialist, winning three of the five classic cycle races races....
 and Paolo Bettini
Paolo Bettini

Paolo Bettini is a former Italy champion road racing cyclist. Considered the best classic cycle races of his generation, and probably one of the strongest of all times, he won gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics road race and in the 2006 UCI Road World Championships and 2007 UCI Road World Championships - Men's Road Races....
.

Well known climbs
km mark Name Distance Slope
57.7 Côte de Ny 1.8?km 6°
82.5 Côte de la Roche-en-Ardenne 2.9?km 5.9°
128.5 Côte de Saint-Roch 1?km 11.2°
171 Côte de Wanne 2.2?km 7.7°
177.5 Côte de Stockeu 1.1?km 11.6°
183 Côte de la Haute-Levée 3.4?km 6°
195.5 Côte du Rosier 3.9?km 6.3°
208 Côte de la Vecquée 3.2?km 6.2°
225 Côte de la Redoute 2.3?km 7.4°
231 Côte de Sprimont 1.5?km 5°
246 Côte du Sart-Tilman-Tilff 3.7?km 5.9°
254.5 Côte de Saint-Nicolas 0.9?km 11°


Winners


External links