This sport. These emotions.🥹 Congratulations on your best ever Monument result @romainbardet 👏🏻 #KeepChallenging #LBL🇧🇪
"Otherwise, I would have already stopped," cries Bardet after Liège: "Frame photo with Pogacar and Van der Poel for son"
CyclingMonday, 22 April 2024 at 15:17
Romain Bardet has not had the easiest of years, so the joy, relief, and emotion were palpable when the Frenchman of DSM-Firmenich surprised PostNL on Sunday with a second-place finish in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. It marked his best performance ever in a Monument, at a time when success didn't always seem assured.
Bardet completed the final stage of the Tour of the Alps on Friday, where he secured fifth place in the general classification. His strong showing in Liège once again underscored that his form heading into the Giro d'Italia is excellent. This is a significant boost, particularly since his last victory was in 2022, during the final classification of the Tour of the Alps. In the two seasons since then, notable successes have been few and far between.
In the photo with Pogacar and Van der Poel
It is also why Bardet celebrated his second place behind the untouchable Tadej Pogacar as a victory. "I was thinking about 2018 in the final, yes. In this race, I got frustrated too often by missing good opportunities," he said in the flash interview regarding the year when a win might have been possible in Liège. Bob Jungels, however, played it smarter at the time.
"This time, after the decisive attack on La Redoute, we had to be present at that second fight and eliminate as many rivals as possible," analyzed the French climber. "I had goosebumps on Roche-aux-Faucons because it's a climb I really like. I knew it would be important because I have seen in the past that we could take advantage at this point. At that point, five seconds can be enough; you just don't have to mentally collapse."
Bardet didn't. On the contrary: the chasing group almost seemed to come back on several occasions, but the huddle and standstill helped Bardet secure second spot. "It was to be expected that Pogacar would attack on La Redoute, and we saw how strong he was. I knew at that moment that I was going to fight for the podium. I always believed it was possible; otherwise, I would have stopped already. If I continue, it is simply because I have never felt so strong on the bike. But my competitors are even stronger. If I am on the podium between Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, it will at least make for a beautiful photo that I can frame for my son."
Bardet, like Pogacar, heads to the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France
In short, emotional words flowed during the interview immediately after the race in Wallonia. After the podium ceremony, the amiable Frenchman, known for his affable demeanor on and off the racecourse, returned to the cycling newsroom, including IDLProCycling.com. "I indeed felt really strong," he stressed. "But when Tadej went on the Redoute, there was no way to follow him. I wasn't quite positioned well on that climb, but when I looked ahead, I saw he was flying. I knew then that we were fighting for places of honor.
"There was a good chance I was going to get caught in the closing stages," Bardet concluded. "The headwind made it very difficult. But with several teams having multiple riders represented, it became a stop-and-go affair, which may have played to my advantage. I simply wanted to fully focus on my own race and rode as hard as I could on my own. I'm extremely happy that it paid off.
According to Bardet, La Doyenne had not necessarily been a priority or main goal, but it is one of his favorite one-day races. "It's not that I specifically prepared for it, but rather that it was part of a larger training and racing block, which will now continue with the Giro d'Italia. The opportunity to participate in Liège was there, so I seized it. I felt very strong already during the preseason, so I think all in all, I can consider this year a successful one so far, with this serving as a sort of icing on the cake." Like the phenom Pogacar, Bardet is aiming for the well-known double, with the Tour de France also on his agenda after the Giro.
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024