Liège-Bastogne-Liège: Wout Poels wins Sky their first Monument

Team Sky have finally won one of cycling’s Mouments with Dutch rider Wout Poels holding on to beat Orica-GreenEdge’s Michael Albasini to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège today.

It’s the 34th time the British WorldTour team have participated in a Monument and came at the end of a 253km race ridden in filthy conditions.

Rain fell rain for much of the day, and in freezing temperatures there was also snow at times, forcing organisers to change the early part of the route.

Poels was in a group of four riders who contested the finale, with former world champion Rui Costa of Lampre-Merida finishing third, ahead of BMC Racing’s Samuel Sanchez.

The 28-year-old came off Albasini's wheel after they rounded the final left hand curve to the finish, passing the Swiss rider to claim victory.

Besides breaking Team Sky’s duck in cycling’s biggest five one day races – and the oldest of them all – Poels’ win is also the first by a Dutch rider since Adri van der Poel won in 1988.

Pre-race favourite Alejandro Valverde's Movistar team worked hard for him throughout the day, but there was to be no early birthday present for the Spaniard, who turns 36 tomorrow.

Valverde, winner of La Fleche Wallonne for a record fourth time on Wednesday and looking for his fourth victory here, finished 15th in a group 12 seconds behind the winner.

Also in that group was the top British finisher, Dimension Data's Steve Cummings, who came home in 18th place.