Yet more interviews for Andy Schleck(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Big favourite Philippe Gilbert looks relaxed before the team presentation(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Belgian fans packed the marquee to see the teams on stage(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Leopard Trek got a huge cheer from the crowd(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Christophe Le Mevel (Garmin-Cervelo) (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD)(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Diego Ulissi and Damiano Cunego(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The RadioShack riders await their turn on stage(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Australia's Simon Gerrans (Team Sky) sign an autograph(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The HTC-Highroad team on stage at the presentation(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) is hoping for a good day on Sunday after a difficult few weeks with illness(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Italy's Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) arrived in Belgium on Saturday after riding the Giro del Trentino(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) will ride his last ever Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Joaquim Rodriguez shows Oscar Freire his new mobile phone(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Alexsandr Kolobnev (Katusha) could be an outsider for victory(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Caleb Fairly, Tejay Van Garderen and Tony Martin of HTC-Highroad(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Ryder Hesjedal and Christian Vande Velde of Gamin-Cervelo(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Liquigas-Cannondale riders (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Andy Schleck signs another autograph (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The 199 riders set to ride Liege-Bastogne-Liege attended the official team presentation on Saturday afternoon in a packed marquee in the courtyard of the Palais des Princes-Eveques in central Liege.
The 25 teams are required to attend and climb on stage to be presented one by one to the crowd packed into the marquee. On the way in and the way out, the riders are mobbed by cycling fans, looking for an autograph, a photograph or even just he chance to see local hero Philippe Gilbert.
It is the last chance for the media to speak to riders and discover the final starting roster for the teams. Cyclingnews caught up with Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Cervelo) and Simon Gerrans (Team Sky). Like many riders, Hesjedal has been affected by the high pollen count in the air caused by the unusual warm weather and dry conditions. He has a slightly blocked nose but said he his legs are good for the 255.5km race and the 10 classified cotes.
Gerrans will form a interesting combination at Team Sky with the classy Thomas Löfkvist and new signing Rigoberto Uran. Of course everyone will be trying to get rid of Gilbert, who is trying to complete an Ardennes Classic hat trick.
It should be a fascinating battle between him, the Schlecks, and all the other contenders.
Several riders have flown into Belgium since Wednesday's Fleche-Wallonne. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Roman Kreuziger (Astana) rode the Giro del Trentino and flew from Italy on Saturday morning. However Giro del Trentino winner Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) opted not to ride.
Late changes to teams include the confirmation that Xavier Tondo will not ride for Movistar. He had stayed in Belgium this week but is still fighting the pain of kidney stones. Jesus Herrada will take his place.
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2010 winner Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) will wear number one in his final Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
