The young wolves put in another strong display, this time on home soil.
2026 is shaping up to be the best season of Viktor Soenens in the U23 ranks. Having finished tenth just two months ago at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana - a result made even more impressive by the fact it came from a field containing nine World Tour teams - the 20-year-old came with ambitions at the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and didn’t disappoint, concluding as Soudal Quick-Step Devo’s highest-ranked rider there for the second season in a row.
One of the most demanding races on the U23 calendar, featuring seven ascents – many of which were “borrowed” from the World Tour version – and 2500 vertical meters, Liège-Bastogne-Liège was raced full gas from kilometer zero, giving almost no moment of respite to the riders, as the situation kept changing with every climb. This made for an exciting race and suspense right until the very end, the winner emerging only in the last 150 meters, from a reduced sprint.
Our young wolves were present in all the main moves of the day, be it with Henrique Bravo, Federico Savino, Jasper Schoofs or Viktor Soenens, and went several times on the attack to force a selection before the Côte de Bolland. On that last hill of the day, Bravo tried again and went clear with five riders, but the group came back and the race was decided from a large group for the first time this century, with Viktor taking fifth place in Blegny.
We did a good race and were always in the right place.
“We can be content with how things went. I felt good on the climbs and when I saw it would come down to a sprint, I was confident in my chances. I gave everything and maybe with a bit more luck I could have been on the podium. It’s a good result, and I’m happy with upgrading my seventh place of last year to fifth now. I can look back on a strong spring with many satisfactions, which makes me confident for the next goal, which will be the Giro Next Gen”, Soenens said at the finish after his best result of the year in a one-day race.
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
