Liège-Bastogne-Liège

Just as demanding and open as usual, yet held in the autumn this time around. The ‘Doyenne’ (not actually the longest-standing race in Europe, which is Milano-Torino, but the oldest top classic) of the WorldTour season is held as the third Monument of the 2020 season, after Sanremo and Lombardia, completing an intense week of racing in Belgium for the Movistar Team over a grueling 257km.

It’s a very recognisable parcours, with only two hills in the first half of the race -though the Côte de Saint-Roch (123.5km) already features some brutal slopes- and most of its main elevations in the last 100 kilometers. Mont-le-Soie (-93km) and the famous ‘trilogy’ côtes of Wanne (-85km) / Stockeu (-78km) / Haute-Levée (-72km) will create, together with Rosier (-60km) and Maquisard (-47km), the first selection adn bring some attacks to a race usually decided into its last three ascents.

La Redoute (-35km), a bit closer to the end in recent years -the finish has been changed from 2019, though, placed at the Quai des Ardennes instead of the Boulevard d’Avroy-, will define the final outcome together with Forges (-23km) and, most importantly, the Roche-aux-Faucons (-13.5km), the last difficulty and chance for the attackers – together with its equally-demanding slopes after the summit.