Irishman Dan Martin finished second again to Alejandro Valverde as the Spaniard won the Liege-Bastogne- Liege race.
There was a minute's applause to remember and mourn the loss of Michele Scarpoini before the race started and it was a race which saw Tiago Machado (Katusha), Anthony Perez and Stéphane Rossetto (Cofidis), Mekseb Debesay (Dimension Data), Bart De Clercq (Lotto Soudal), Nick Van Der Lijke (Roompot), Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie) and Aaron Gate (Aqua Blue Sport) go clear and take a lead of thirteen minutes
Debesay dropped out of this group on the approach to the Cote de Pont as their lead dropped to six minutes with sixty kilometres remaining. Back in the peloton and on the Cote de la Maquisard, Nathan Haas and Omar Fraile (Dimension Data), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Hansgrohe), Alessandro De Marchi (BMC Racing Team) and Pierre La Tour (AG2R La Mondiale) put in a move which further cut down the gap to the leaders.
The break started to fracture on the Cote de la Redoute and with thirty one kilometres left, only Anthony Perez (Cofidis) was still away with a lead of just four minutes with Arron Gate trying to also stay clear.
Perez's lead dropped to two minutes on the foot of the Cote de la Roche-Aux-Faucons, so his team mate Rossetto joined him ad then took over the lead of the race,
Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal put in a move which woke up the peloton with nine kilometres to go and joined Rossetto but on the Saint Nicolas climb, the peloton had got their prey.
Davide Villella (Cannondale-Drapac) and Sergio Henao (Sky) attacked and were quickly reeled in., allowing Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Drapac) to sneak ahead and take a lead which was just four seconds going under the flam rouge.
Dan Martin of Quick Stepped made a move with eight hundred metres to go but Movistar's Alejandro Valverde got up to the pair and out sprinted Dan Martin to win La Doyenne for the fourth time in 6.24.27.
Britain's Adam Yates finished eighth with Tao Geoghagen-Hart in 102nd place.
By Kev Monks for Digital Sports Group
Source: DSG
