Jakob Fuglsang wins Liège-Bastogne-Liège

After a third place in the Amstel Gold Race and a second place in Flèche Wallonne, today Jakob Fuglsang took the win with an impressive solo in Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Jakob Fuglsang wins Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Photo: Thomas van Bracht (http://pelotonphotos.com/)

After a third place in the Amstel Gold Race and a second place in Flèche Wallonne, today Jakob Fuglsang took the win with an impressive solo in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. With a strong lead-out of almost the entire Astana Pro Team, Fuglsang attacked at the final climb of the day for his first Monument victory, the fourth win by an Astana Pro Team rider in La Doyenne.

In rainy and windy circumstances, the 2019 Liège-Bastogne-Liège took off. The fourth Monument of the year had an early break with eight riders, but with 100 kilometers to go this group the peloton started to split on one of the hard climbs in the Belgian Ardennes. This resulted in a new leading group including Omar Fraile, and a strongly reduced peloton close behind.

At the bottom of Cotes des Forges, less then 30 kilometers to go, there was only one lonely leader left and the riders of Astana Pro Team started to go to the front of the peloton. They performed a perfect lead-out for Jakob Fuglsang, who attacked at the final climb of the day. Two riders were able to hang on, but not much later Fuglsang went solo to the finish line to take the first Monument of his career.
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Jakob Fuglsang: “It’s fantastic, I’m so happy. It’s the biggest one-day victory in my career, to finish this great week with this result is very special. The team positioned me perfect for the final climb, on the important moment they were there for me. They did an amazing job, because for me the finish line was at the top of this climb, so I gave it all. At one moment I looked back and then I knew it was possible and I tried to keep going. There was one scary moment in the downhill, but luckily I was able to get my bike back under control. I was feeling good all day and I tried to stay out of trouble and to stay warm. It was the perfect scenario for me because it was a very hard race. I look forward to a small break now, but this gives a huge motivation for the next races this season, – said Jakob Fuglsang.

Photo: Thomas van Bracht (http://pelotonphotos.com/)

Adam Yates: “It was a tough day, all-day in the rain. In the final there I was doing ok and there were three stronger guys ahead of me. I improved on my eighth place from a couple of years ago, it’s fourth now. Fourth was pretty much the best I was going to come from in that group, so maybe in the future I can go better, but fourth right now for me is pretty good. Fuglsang went at the right time on the steep bit and at that point in the race you kind of gamble a little bit, but really everybody is on their hands and knees and he was by far the strongest today.”

1. Jakob Fuglsang 6.37.37″
2. Davide Formolo 27″
3. Maximilian Schachmann 57″
4. Adam Yates 57″
5. Michael Woods 57″
6. David Gaudu 57″
7. Mikel Landa 57″
8. Vincenzo Nibali 1.00″
9. Dylan Teuns 1.05″
10. Wout Poels 1.26″

11. Tim Wellens 1′ 29″
12. Michal Kwiatkowski 1′ 29″
16. Julian Alaphilippe 1′ 29″
21. Romain Bardet 1′ 29″
35. Michael Matthews 3′ 03″
49. Tao Geoghegan Hart 6′ 56″
52. Greg Van Avermaet 6′ 56″
58. Philippe Gilbert 9′ 20″
75. Edward Dunbar 13′ 11″