The world number one road cyclist and favourite for Sunday's classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) crashed at 84.5km and was forced to leave the race.
Pogacar was expected due to duel with Belgian Remco Evenepoel.
The entire UAE team stopped around their Slovenian leader, who did not return to the road. Danish rider Mikkel Honoré (EF Education Easypost) was also involved in the crash and also abandoned.
Pogacar, winner in Liège in 2021, was along with last year’s winner Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) one of the two big favourites in this 109th edition of the Doyenne, the scene of their first meeting of the season. Pogacar (24) has twice won the Tour de France whilst Evenepoel (23) is reigning world champion.
Winner of the Amstel Gold Race last Sunday and the Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday, the Slovenian would have become the third rider to complete the Ardennes classics treble in the same season if he won, after Italian Davide Rebellin in 2004 and Philippe Gilbert in 2011.
