Where the race is won
With ten categorized climbs on the route and plenty of uncategorized hills, the parcours has a serious sting. It all begins 30 km in on the 3.9 km at 7.2% Col de la Haussiere, and then pretty much doesn’t let up until the finish.
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Côte de Stockeu, 1 km at 12.1%
Coming 82 km from the finish, the Stockeu is a steep climb at the midway point of the race and is where the fireworks could start going off. The entry is also super important. A sharp right-hand turn delivers the athletes onto the climb, and a consistently steep gradient. There’s no respite until you see the statue of the legendary Eddy Merckx at its peak, five-time winner of the men’s race.
Côte de la Haute Levée, 2.3 km at 7.5%
There isn’t a huge amount of time to take stock from the Stockeu (ed. See what I did there?) as after a sharp kilometer-long descent that takes you over cobbles at the base in Stavelot, you immediately start climbing again. The climb out of Stavelot is steep at the bottom but then plateaus at the top, where you can hear the roaring engines of the nearby Spa-Francorchamps motor circuit.
Col du Rosier, 4.4 km at 5.8%
The longest climb on the route is also one of the most beautiful. Climbing through a thick forest, typical of the area, the gradient is consistent, but the road surface is heavy.
Côte de la Redoute, 1.6 km at 8.9%
One of the most iconic climbs in cycling, La Redoute often splits the race in two as it comes following a 10-kilometer downhill and tops out just over 30 kilometers from the line. Climbing beside a freeway, the road is exposed and only gets steeper the higher you go. Without doubt, one of the defining images of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Côte de la Roche aux Faucons, 1.3 km at 10.4%
Another iconic climb, the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons, often either acts as a launchpad to victory or whittles a leading group down to a small selection. The climb is sharp before a slight downhill delivers the riders to a 2.1 km at 4.5 % ramp to Boncelles, topping out with 11 kilometers to go. From here, the road plateaus for 4.5 kilometers, before dropping down into Liège and finishing on an 800-meter straight flat road, the aptly named Quai des Ardennes.
How to watch
USA
Peacock from 10:40 am EDT / 9:40 am CDT / 8:40 am MDT / 7:40 am PDT
Canada
FloBikes
Greater Europe
Eurosport / Discovery+ / HBO Max (territory dependent) from 16:40 CET
UK
HBO Max / TNT Sports from 15:40 BST
What our athletes think
Mona Mitterwallner
The race will be a lot harder than Flèche. I had heavy legs after the race, but I hope to be strong on Sunday. It may well be more like Amstel and more selective with riders dropping earlier in the race. I like racing in smaller groups when I have the power and strength to stay with them. I expect it will be more difficult to come back; the longer climbs promise that. I hope for another good day out and that we make a big team effort towards our goal.
Thalita de Jong
It’s good to be here on these lovely climbs. 2021 was my last race here, and there’s been a lot of change. The peloton has been growing and developing since then. It’s going to be a tough race, but we will try to give our best. We have some strong riders in this team, and next to me, we have Mona, who is really in shape at the moment and suits the parcours. We can play the game with multiple riders.
