The final Monument of the spring Classics season, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, didn't deliver the anticipated Tadej Pogačar vs Remco Evenepoel duel after all, with the world champion soloing to a third career victory as the Belgian suffered in the final before finishing 59th.
Sunday's race saw Evenepoel take on only his fourth race back from a long layoff after suffering multiple injuries in a dooring incident last December.
The Belgian, who also had two Liège triumphs on his palmarès heading into the weekend, suffered fractures to his shoulder blade, ribs, and hand along with a dislocated collarbone and nerve damage in the incident.
He returned to the peloton with a win at De Brabantse Pijl nine days ago, also finishing third at Amstel Gold Race, but he couldn't make an impact in the final of La Doyenne.
"A race like this doesn't lie," Evenepoel told Het Laatste Nieuws after finishing. "If you're good, you're at the front everywhere.
"I'm not disappointed, but it's a shame that I didn't feel at my best in the final of this race. I have to accept it – I can't expect miracles.
"To get in shape, you have to train for a long time, and I haven't been able to train properly yet. That became clear today."
Evenepoel's Soudal-QuickStep squad had done their share of the pacemaking earlier in the day, but the 25-year-old was stuck some way down the peloton when Pogačar launched what turned out to be the race-winning move on the Côte de La Redoute.
He'd later be seen dropping out of the second chase group, over 1:30 down on Pogačar, on the day's final climb of the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons.
Evenepoel eventually came to the finish in 59th place, 3:11 behind the world champion, a place behind Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), who had been among the first chasers behind Pogačar.
"He clearly didn't have the legs. Simple," was Soudal-QuickStep directeur sportif Klaas Lodewyck's summary to Het Laatste Nieuws at the finish.
"He came back strongly after his injury, but often you see that a relapse follows. We just didn't think it would be today, but that is impossible to predict.
"I spoke to him briefly. This isn't pleasant, of course, but it's also a part of the sport. He has to 'turn the switch' now."
