Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2025 Predictions: Remco needs to go toe-to-toe with Tadej

After last Sunday's Amstel Gold and Wednesday's La Fleche Wallonne, the third of cycling's Ardennes Classics - Liège-Bastogne-Liège - takes place on Sunday.

Known as 'The Old Lady', it is the oldest of the sport's five Monuments and the fourth on the calendar.

Cycling Odds

Liege-Bastogne-Liege odds

Mathieu van der Poel has won two of this year's three Monuments - Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix - but finished third to Tadej Pogacar at the Tour of Flanders.

Pogacar's brilliance during the spring has bolstered claims that, even at 26, he is already the greatest rider ever, and he is back to defend the title he won last year, having also won Liege in 2021.

The Slovene is the rider to beat, but there could be some hope for the others. After losing at Paris-Roubaix, Mattias Skjelmose had too much for Pogacar as he won the sprint at Amstel Gold.

Those recent defeats still hint at some potential vulnerabilities, but he bounced back to triumph at Wednesday's La Fleche Wallonne - although he is priced at 4/9 and it might be worth looking elsewhere.

The route

The 111th edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège will be raced over 259 km and features 10 classified climbs, making it the toughest route of the Ardennes Classics.

Famous ascents include Saint-Roch, Wanne, Stockeu, La Redoute, and Roche-aux-Faucons, but the finish in Liege being 13.3km from the final climb means it could potentially come down to a sprint.

 Remco Evenepoel @ 4/1

A serious crash for Evenepoel meant a glorious 2024, including Olympic gold in both the road and in the time-trial races, plus third at the Tour de France, ended in ignominy.

However, the 25-year-old appears to have recovered from rib, shoulder blade and hand fractures and made a winning return at Brabantse Pijl.

Evenepoel then almost overcame a crash to win Amstel, finishing third in the sprint but will have improved for the experience.

The Belgian's ninth in Fleche was disappointing, with fatigue possibly setting in as he failed to match Pogacar on the Mur de Huy but again, his mind and his legs should both be stronger for the experience.

With the local crowd on his side, the 2022 and 2023 winner could be ready to push Pog again before switching his focus to stage racing and the Tour du Romandie, which begins on Tuesday.

Ben Healy E/W @ 16/1

A crash led to Mattias Skjelmose's DNF in Fleche and while he insists that he should be able to ride on Sunday, there are better options.

English-born Irish rider Ben Healy is an each-way contender and worthy of consideration.

EF Education-EasyPost have had a decent spring considering Neilson Powless' win in Dwars door Vlaanderen and Healy has also been going along well, especially in the last week.

The 24-year-old was fourth in Strade Bianche and is undoubtedly suited to rolling roads, finishing 10th in Amstel and then fifth on Wednesday.

A look down his CV shows he was fourth behind Evenepoel in the 2023 edition of this race and a top-five finish, or even a podium, is not beyond him.

Cycling Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.