Liège–Bastogne–Liège 2017

The road

How it was won

1. 148 km to go

   The race comes alight

   On the modest slopes of the Côte de la Maquisard, 48km out, the day finally ignites as Haas, Fraile, Benedetti, De Marchi and Latour lever themselves clear of a strangely calm bunch.

2. 234 km to go

   Côte de la Redoute

   On La Doyenne's most emblematic climb the early break disintegrates and Sky stretch the peloton to a thread. Anthony Perez presses on alone, still nearly four minutes clear with barely 31km left — more than the favourites would like.

3. 313 km to go

   Roche-aux-Faucons

   By the foot of the steep Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons the escape has been gutted to two minutes, and Valverde sits comfortably poised near the front as Quick-Step and BMC wind the bunch up.

4. 49 km to go

   Wellens attacks

   With 9km to go Tim Wellens flings himself off the front to join the survivors, a last roll of the dice before the closing climbs decide it all.

5. 56 km to go

   Côte de Saint-Nicolas

   On the final classified climb the leaders wilt and are swallowed; over the top Davide Formolo counters hard and opens a slender gap into the run to Ans.

6. 61 km to go

   Dan Martin's move

   Inside the final 800 metres Dan Martin launches for glory and reels in the last escapee — but Valverde has read it perfectly and rides the chase straight up to his wheel.

7. 7At the line

   Valverde wins La Doyenne

   With his signature late kick Alejandro Valverde surges past Dan Martin on the line in Ans to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège for a record-equalling fourth time.

The result