Seven riders have already beaten Philippe Gilbert's Strava KoM on La Redoute, the Liège-Bastogne-Liège climb.
Having won the Belgian one-day Classic in 2011, Gilbert recently returned to the route while out filming for a documentary and spontaneously deciding to try and take the Strava KoM.
The Lotto-Soudal rider lopped 17 seconds off the previous best time, riding the 1.5km ascent with an average gradient of 10 per cent in four minutes 25 seconds.
20-year-old Dutch rider Gijs Leemreize who rides for Jumbo-Visma's Development Team has since gone on to set the fastest KoM time twice. In the immediate aftermath of Gilbert's ride, Leemreize went three seconds quicker than the Belgian, setting a new best time of 4-22.
Then, on Sunday June 21, 20-year-old Mathijs Loman went seven seconds faster, with a time of 4-15, the Dutch youngster having been a Zwift Academy finalist last year.
>>> I lost my hearing in a crash, 12 years later I returned to cycling
A few days later on Friday, members of the UCI ProTeam Bingoal - Wallonie Bruxelles headed out, with Dimitri Peyskens, Eliot Lietaer and Arken Livyns all posting times better than Gilbert's and placing themselves in the top 10 with wattages above 500w. Their team-mate Laurens Huys stormed ahead, however, setting a new best time of 4-09, averaging 22.3km/h and a heart rate of 193bpm.
Not to be outdone, Leemreize also returned to the climb that day, matching Huys' time with a 497w effort.
Ag2r La Mondiale's Lawrence Naesen has also had a go, setting a time of 4-23, and the attempts are unlikely to stop as riders recon and prepare for the one-day Classics that will take place this autumn.
Annemiek van Vleuten currently holds the QoM with a time of 5-13, set during the 2019 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which she won.
-
-
'If you can achieve something like this, then other things in life can seem quite easy': Local hero outlines the joy of ultra-endurance events
From Cumbria’s highest passes to motorway McDonalds stops - video showcases the rollercoaster reality of a 60-hour ride in all its unglamorous glory
-
Record rides: Tommy Godwin’s 75,065 miles in a year
vans Perhaps one of the most incredible records ever set on two wheels retold by Dave Barter.
-
Philippe Gilbert to target results in big races - not 'easy wins' - in his final year
The Belgian former world champion says that he won't chase easy wins after 20 years in the pro peloton
-
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2022: everything you need to know
All the information you need ahead of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, taking place on April 24 in 2022
-
Ardennes Classics team ratings: how did each squad perform?
Alaphilippe, Van Aert and Pogačar produced the goods for their teams
-
Demi Vollering takes her first WorldTour victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Dutch rider benefits from another tactical masterpiece courtesy of her SDWorx squad, with Anna van der Breggen setting up the win
-
Tom Pidcock to miss Liège-Bastogne-Liège as Brit 'not quite fully recovered' from Flèche Wallonne crash
The 21-year-old will rest for a few days before turning his attention to his first mountain bike race of the season
-
Julian Alaphilippe: 'The big goal has always been Liège-Bastogne-Liège'
The Frenchman may seem sick of Zoom calls, but one thing he's not tired of is that winning feeling
-
Five things to look out for at Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2021
The Ardennes Classics come to close with the oldest race of them all, Liège-Bastogne-Liège
-
Tadej Pogačar logs mammoth Liège recon after being forced out of Flèche Wallonne
The reigning Tour de France champion seemed frustrated that he wasn't allowed to ride Flèche Wallonne after finding that the team received 'false positives' tests
