(Reuters) – Remco Evenepoel won the Liege-Bastogne-Liege one-day race on Sunday, claiming his maiden Monument classic after putting in a brutal attack on the penultimate climb of the day.
The 22-year-old, the first Belgian to win the oldest classic race in 11 years, attacked near the top of the Cote de la Redoute, 30km from the finish, and never looked back.
His compatriots Quinten Hermans (Intermarche – Wanty Gobert Materiaux) and Wout van Art (Jumbo-Visma) took second and third place, respectively, after 257.5 kilometres.
Evenepoel’s win came after his Quick-Step Alpha Vynil team mate Julian Alaphilippe came down heavily in a huge pile-up. The world champion fell into a ditch 62km from the line and was taken away in an ambulance.
French TV channel France 3 reported that the rider was conscious, adding that he was suffering from broken ribs.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
