Russian Evgeni Berzin, winner of the 1994 Liège–Bastogne–Liège, moved away from the peloton after 200 km (120 mi) and held a maximum lead of one minute over the chasing pack. On the Côte de La Redoute, seven riders broke clear from the field: Michele Bartoli and Laurent Jalabert – winner and runner-up of 1997 – Frank Vandenbroucke, Michael Boogerd, Rodolfo Massi, Francesco Casagrande and Laurent Dufaux. Bartoli attacked at 16 km (9.9 mi) from the finish and caught Berzin on the Côte de Sart Tilman in Angleur. Jalabert counterattacked in the final kilometres, but was unable to join Bartoli, who soloed to his second consecutive win in La Doyenne.[2][4][5]