PeloPics: The rolling hills of the Belgian Ardennes took on additional toughness during the 72nd edition of Liege-Bastogne-Liege when wind, cold temperatures, and heavy rain fell on the peloton. The 1986 Liège-Bastogne-Liège was a cold hard battle that saw Moreno Argentin take the second of his four wins in ‘La Doyenne’ which included a three-in-a-row ’85, ’86 and ’87. On that cold Belgian Sunday, Dag Erik Pedersen, Adrie van der Poel, Moreno Argentin and Claude Criquielion came to the finish together to fight out the sprint.
*** Read the ‘PEZ 2024 Liège-Bastogne-Liège’ HERE. ***
Moreno Argentin was one of the classiest riders of the 80’s and a big winner
After a five rider breakaway was caught just before the steep Mont Theux the race became animated. A new four rider group containing Flanders winner Adri Van Der Poel formed and opened a 30 second gap. Van der Poel had started the ball rolling by attacking on La Redoute. Argentin and Criquielion felt strong enough to chase the Dutchman down while Hinault, Lemond et al just sat looking at each other. Defending champion Argentin and Criquielion beat the cold temperatures and joined the solo Van Der Poel in the breakaway. Then Norwegian Pedersen crossed to the group and the final selection of the race was made.
Argentin covered numerous Criquielion attacks on the final 20 kilometres into Liège, but at the 1 kilometre to go marker the Belgian escaped. Argentin patiently waited while former teammate Pedersen closed the gap on Criquielion. Moreno Argentin, perfectly placed, jump past Van Der Poel and easily took his second consecutive L-B-L victory.
Laurent Fignon wasn’t too keen on the press, but he knew how to win a race. The Frenchman didn’t finish Liège ’86
German, Rolf Gölz was 11th in ’86, but he had a good palmarès: Tour du Haut-Var, Tour of Ireland, Vuelta a Asturias, Flèche Wallonne, Tour de France stages, Paris–Brussels, Vuelta a Andalucia, Milano–Torino, Giro del Piemonte, Milano–Torino and the Trofeo Baracchi with Tom Cordes
Bernard Hinault, what can you say, he won just about everything in his time including Liège in ’77 and ’80, but 1986 was his last year as a pro and he didn’t finish Liège
Double Giro winner along with World and National Road Race Championships, Milan–San Remo, Flèche Wallonne, Giro di Lombardia – Guiseppe Saronni was another DNF in 1986
Didi Thurau rode for twelve teams in his 16 year professional career, in 1986 it was Supermercati Brianzoli – The stylish German probably didn’t live up to his early promise, but he did win in Liège in 1979
Charly Mottet was a complete rider, but maybe was lacking something and didn’t achieve as much as he should have
A cold, wet day in Belgium – Kim Eriksen doesn’t look too happy and no gloves for Ricardo Magrini
Sean Kelly’s KAS teammate Joel Pelier had his time off the front
The Lotto team had a good day with Marc Sergeant finishing 6th – Sergeant is now team boss at Lotto Soudal
Hard-man Sean Kelly was well wrapped up at the start
Hinault might have been in his last season, but he could still make the others suffer
World champion Joop Zoetemelk looked as though he wasn’t having much fun
Canada’s Steven Bauer also didn’t finish
A day of suffering
14th place for Greg Lemond in Liège, but he did win his first Tour de France in 1986
Frederic Brun (DNF), Kim Andersen (37th) and Pascual Simon (29th)
Not much fun at the back of the peloton
Kelly ready for action, but he missed the important move
The Irishman finished at 1:13 in 12th place
Joop Zoetemelk must have warmed up during the race to finish in 17th place in the same group as Sean Kelly
Serge Demierre – Swiss road champion and Tour de France stage winner and the Tour Combativity award. He also won the 2-up time trial; Trofeo Baracchi with Daniel Gisiger
Adrie Van der Poel (father of Mathieu) was looking to emulate his Tour of Flanders win earlier in 1986, but he had to wait until 1988 for the Liège win. The Dutchman also won the Amstel Gold Race (1990), Brabantse Pijl (1985), Clásica de San Sebastián (1985), Paris–Brussels (1985), Paris–Tours (1987), Scheldeprijs (1985), Züri-Metzgete (1982) and the National Road Race Championship (1987)
Moreno Argentin and Claude Criquielion knew not to let Van der Poel get too far ahead
Dag-Erik Pedersen made it to the break and took a fine 3rd place
Moreno Argentin was too good for the others in the sprint
It was a cold Argentin who had to wear a jacket on the podium
5th placed Steven Rooks had a hard ride to finish only 20 seconds behind Argentin
Greg Lemond’s face says it all
TV interviews are a bit more professional these days
1986 Liège-Bastogne-Liege winner Moreno Argentin tells it like it is for Italian TV
219 starters, 54 classified finishers – 252 km at 37.66 kph average speed.
1986 Liège-Bastogne-Liège finalé
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 1986 Result:
1. Moreno Argentin (Ita) Sammontana-Bianchi in 6:41:21
2. Andrie Van der Poel (Ned) Kwantum Hallen-Decosol-Yoko
3. Dag-Erik Pedersen (Nor) Ariostea
4. Claude Criquielion (Bel) Hitachi-Marc-Splendor
5. Steven Rooks (Ned) PDM at 0:20
6. Marc Sergeant (Bel) Lotto
7. Jean-Philippe Vandenbrande (Bel) Hitachi-Marc-Splendor at 0:44
8. Roberto Pagnin (Ita) Malvor-Bottecchia
9. Hubert Seiz (Swi) Supermercati Brianzoli 0:55
10. Heinz Imboden (Swi) Cilo-Aufina at 1:00
11. Rolf Gölz (Ger) Del Tongo at 1:05
12. Sean Kelly (Irl) KAS at 1:13
13. Patrick Versluys (Bel) Fangio-Lois-Mavic
14. Greg Lemond (USA) La Vie Claire
15. Yvon Madiot (Fra) Système U
16. Régis Clère (Fra) Miko-Carlos-Tonissteiner
17. Joop Zoetemelk (Ned) Kwantum Hallen-Decosol-Yoko
18. Acacio Da Silva (Por) KAS
19. Jan Nevens (Bel) Lotto
20. Peter Harings (Ned) Lotto
21. Silvano Contini (Ita) Gis Gelati
22. Etienne de Wilde (Bel) Hitachi-Marc-Splendor
23. Eddy Schepers (Bel) Carrera
24. Tony Rominger (Swi) Cilo-Aufina
25. Rudy Pevenage (Bel) Del Tongo
26. Alfio Vandi (Ita) Ariostea
27. Theo de Rooy (Ned) Panasonic
28. Luc Wallays (Bel) Fangio
29. Pascal Simon (Fra) Peugeot-Shell
30. Jean-Claude Bagot (Fra) Fagor
31. Robert Millar (GB) Panasonic
32. Gert-Jan Theunisse (Ned) Panasonic
33. Stefan Mutter (Swi) PDM at 6:10
34. Marco Vitali (Ita) Cilo-Aufina at 6:50
35. Maarten Ducrot (Ned) Kwantum Halle-Decosol-Yoko at 10:32
36. Johnny Broers (Ned) Skala-Skil
37. Kim Andersen (Den) La Vie Claire
38. Bruno Huger (Fra) RMO
39. Marco Giovannetti (Ita) Gis Gilati
40. Eric Caritoux (Fra) Fagor
41. Nico Emonds (Bel) Kwantum Hallen-Decosol-Yoko
42. Patrick Verschueren (Bel) Roland-Van De Ven
43. Brian Holm (Den) Roland-Van De Ven at 15:00
44. Michel Dernies (Bel) Lotto at 15:25
45. Raoul Bruyndonckx (Bel) Roland-Van De Ven
46. Peter Hoondert (Ned) PDM at 18:10
47. Rene Beuker (Ned) PDM
48. Franck Pineau (Fra) Reynolds
49. Sergio Santimaria (Ita) Ariostea
50. Paul Kimmage (Irl) RMO
51. Mario Beccia (Ita) Malvor-Bottecchia
52. Jean Habets (Ned) Skala-Skil
53. Antonio Bevilacqua (Ita) Supermercati Brianzoli
54. Jacques van Meer (Ned) Skala-Skil.
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