The Liège-Bastogne part of the race is relatively easy. The riders penetrate the Ardennes on rolling roads before turning back at the roundabout in Bastogne. The flipside of above statement is that most of the hardship is still to come on the way back to Liège.
Côte de Saint-Roch in Houffalize – after 117 kilometres – gives a first taste of what’s to come before the race intensifies on the Côte de Wanne with 85 kilometres. Within 12 kilometres the riders tackle Côte de Stockeu and Côte de Haute-Levée before continuing onto the Col du Rosier, which is the longest climb of the day: 4.4 kilometres at 5.9%.
And on we go. The energy-sapping Côte de Desnié precedes the iconic La Redoute. The 1.6 kilometres climb goes up at 9.4%, while the summit is situated 34 kilometres before the finish. A drop and a 2.8 kilometers climb at 4.4% lead to Cornémont, before the Côte des Forges adds 1.3 kilometres at 7.8% to the mix.
Still more than 23 kilometres remaining at this point. Bring on the Grande Finale…!
The Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons is supposed to be the last climb of the day, but… no, it’s not. Not really. The 1.3 kilometres ascent at 11% is crested with 13 kilometres remaining. The riders plunge down a short drop which continues onto a draining false flat and, ultimately, a climb of 1 kilometre at 6.2%. Following a flat section the riders fly down into Liège with 5 kilometres to go. The last 2 kilometres of the race are flat.
Last year, Remco Evenepoel attacked on La Redoute. He gobbled up the only remaing breakaway rider Bruno Armirail and soloed to victory. Quinten Hermans and Wout van Aert took care of a Belgian clean sweep by sprinting to second and third place.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX Liège–Bastogne–Liège 2023.
Other interesting reads: results and start list 2023 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Liège–Bastogne–Liège 2023: route, profiles, more
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