Entries for the 2019 edition of the Liege-Bastogne-Liege Challenge are now open. Taking place on Saturday 27 April 2019, the sportive lets amateurs ride the same course as the legendary Classic race a day ahead of the pros.
Known as La Doyenne ("the oldest"), Liege-Bastogne-Liege (LBL) is one of cycling's five Monuments: a series of one-day races steeped in over a century of cycling history.
The sportive is based in the city of Liege in Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region. While the pro race features a gruelling there-and-back trip to the southern Ardennes town of Bastogne, amateur cyclists can choose from one of three distances on the LBL Challenge.
For hardcore cyclists, the 274km course remains largely true to the pro race. Packing in over 4500m of climbing - more than most Alpine sportives - LBL is the hilliest of the Spring Classics and a true test of endurance is guaranteed.
If you're looking to enjoy the Spring Classics experience at a slightly less intense pace, two further route options of 154km and 75km are on offer.
While they don't take in the sights of Bastogne, these shorter routes are an excellent choice for sportive fans looking to ease their way into the season. You'll still get the chance to challenge yourself on some of the race's most famous climbs, too, including La Redoute, the Cote de Saint-Nicolas and La Roche-aux-Facons.
Entries to all three routes are open now, with the best rates on offer for cyclists who register early:
For more details and to sign up, visit www.sport.be/lblcyclo.
Read our reports from past editions of Liege-Bastogne Liege:
- Keith Gilks' 2017 Liege-Bastogne-Liege ride report
- Rob Wakefield rides the full distance in 2015: A monumental challenge over 273km
To get an idea of what you're in for, check out our reports on some other Spring Classics sportives:
Ronde van Vlaanderen Challenge
Paris-Roubaix Challenge
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