Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) was unable to follow Remco Evenpole, who won the Côte de la Redoute, and lost second place to Quinten Hermans.

The Belgian champion's third place made him the first rider since Adrie van der Pol in 1986 to finish on the podium in both La Doyenne and Paris-Roubaix in the same year. van Aert's diagnosis of COVID-19 forced him to miss the Tour de Flanders. This accomplishment is all the more remarkable given that his classic campaign was interrupted.

"I feel happy," Van Aert said after the race. Of course, I always try to win races, but I guess it's the same as last week [Paris-Roubaix]: I got the best possible result. Lemko was really strong. Lemko was really strong.

Van Aert won the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Bank Classic earlier this spring. In contrast, Van Aert's goal in Liège-Bastogne-Liège was to hang tough on the final climb in hopes of a group sprint at the finish.

Van Aert was separated from the rest of the pack on the final Côte de la Roche aux Faucons climb, but managed to make it back over the other side. However, his reputation as a sprinter seemed to have watered down the cooperative spirit of the chase group, even if it didn't look like Evenpoel was really going to be reeled in.

"For me, I had to do everything I could to hold on in Roche-aux-Focons, I put a lot of energy into fighting for second place, and it was a hard fight to finish on the podium.

"I'll definitely be back in the future. I'm glad I got to experience this race. I'm glad I got to experience this race. And now, if everything goes well for me, I think I can say that I can win this race."

Before COVID-19 interrupted his spring, Van Aert was the overwhelming favorite to win the Tour de Flanders, finishing second in Paris-Roubaix a week earlier and also finishing on the podium in Liège, a remarkable feat in a classic race.

The 27-year-old is now on the podium in four of the five monuments. The sequence began with his victory in Milan-San Remo in 2020, delayed by a pandemic, and continued through to his second place at the Tour de Flanders that same year. He has yet to compete in Il Lombardia.

"It's hard to say I still have the super top shape I had a few weeks ago, but to finish second and third in the last two monuments is still a great achievement," Van Aat said. 'When I got COVID, I never thought I could do something like this.'