Four American riders, each representing different teams, are slated to start the final Spring Classic of the season at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Alex Howes (Cannondale-Drapac), Larry Warbasse (Aqua Blue Sport), Alexey Vermeulen (LottoNL-Jumbo) and WorldTour newcomer Gregory Daniel (Trek-Segafredo) will all take to the start line on Sunday.
>>> See the complete Liège-Bastogne-Liège start list
Weather conditions are expected to reach freezing temperatures, but no snow is expected to fall as it did in last year’s edition.
Howes is likely looking for redemption after a disappointing 83rd at Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday. Last year, he finished a respectable 21st at Liège, just 12 seconds behind the winner Wout Poels (Team Sky) and could have easily been in the top-ten. His 25th place finish at Amstel Gold Race on Sunday and winning of the mountains classification at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco indicates he’s well prepared for what’s sure to be a brutal 258km race.
Watch highlights of the 2016 Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Warbasse did not start today’s final stage of the Tour of the Alps in preparation for Sunday’s race. He and his new Pro Continental team, Aqua Blue Sport, will be riding in support of current teammate and former Team Sky rider Lars Petter Nordhaug. The former IAM Cycling and BMC Racing Team rider Warbasse has only completed Liège once in his career, last year finishing 116th in support of Samuel Sánchez’s (BMC Racing Team) 4th place finish during the snow-affected race.
The 22-year-old Vermeulen will be riding the fifth Classic of his young career and will hope to improve upon his 88th place at Flèche Wallonne earlier this week. He was one of nearly 50 riders who were unable to complete Liège last season.
Making the jump from the American Continental squad Axeon Hagens Berman to the WorldTour with Trek-Segafredo after winning the USA National Road Championship last year, Daniel will be starting his third Classic of the 2017 campaign in support of the quick-finishing Italian, Fabio Felline.
