2026 Liège-Bastogne-Liège routes revealed with traditions intact as Pogacar hunts fourth victory
Liège–Bastogne–Liège rolls round again on Sunday, 26 April 2026, and if recent history is anything to go by, the rest of the peloton will be racing for second. The oldest Monument on the calendar serves up its familiar 259.5km loop from Liège to Liège, packing in 4,395m of climbing, with the women's race containing 2,830m of elevation across 156km.
The 2026 parcours follows the traditional pattern: a relatively controlled opening half heading south towards Bastogne before the race ignites on the return leg through the Ardennes. The Côte de Saint-Roch and Col de Haussire signal the start of hostilities, but it's the trio of Côte de Wanne, Côte de Stockeu, and Col de Haute-Levée that begins to separate contenders.
The Col du Rosier and Col du Maquisard maintain the pressure through the middle section, ensuring teams with strength in depth can control the race ahead of the decisive finale.
It's the closing sequence that defines Liège–Bastogne–Liège. The Côte de La Redoute, with 35 kilometres remaining, is where Pogačar has launched race-winning moves before, as he did in 2025 with ease. Steep and exposed, it punishes hesitation and rewards aggression. The Côte des Forges offers a brief respite for chasers, but then comes the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons, which is the last categorised climb before heading into Wallonia's biggest city, Liège.
Remco Evenepoel will likely be Tadej Pogačar's biggest threat to challenge for victory, after previously winning two editions of La Doyenne in recent years, with his 2022 victory being his first-ever monument victory. Pogačar will be aiming to move a step closer to 'The Cannibal' Eddy Merckx's record of five victories by adding a fourth to his collection in 2026 after victories in 2025, 2024, and 2021, respectively.
For 2026, Liège–Bastogne–Liège will feature all 18 WorldTeams, with seven ProTeams receiving wildcard invitations: Cofidis, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Tudor Pro Cycling Team, Burgos Burpellet BH, Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, Equipo Kern Pharma, and TotalEnergies.
The women's edition, Liège–Bastogne–Liège Femmes, takes place on the same day with over 156km from Bastogne to Liège, featuring 2,830m of climbing. The route mirrors the men's finale, tackling Wanne, Stockeu, Haute-Levée, Rosier, Maquisard, Desnié, La Redoute, Forges, and the decisive Roche-aux-Faucons before the fast run into Liège. Defending champion Kim Le Court will be aiming to defend her title after her ground-breaking victory in 2025, becoming the first-ever African cyclist to win a monument in either the men's or women's side of the sport.
All 14 Women's WorldTeams will start alongside seven invited teams: Cofidis Women Team, Laboral Kutxa - Fundación Euskadi, Lotto Intermarché Ladies, Ma Petite Entreprise, Mayenne Monbana My Pie, St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93, and VolkerWessels Cycling Team.
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