The question is - can Valverde - who finished a close second behind his 25-year-old rival  on Wednesday (April 18) - raise his game again to equal Eddy Merckx’s record of five wins at the last of the Ardennes Spring Classics in Liège.

The 37-year-old Spaniard claims he is in the form of his life as he approaches the 18th event in this year’s International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour.

The uphill finish of the Liège race in Ans has suited Valverde, but this may be his best chance to equal the Merckx mark as there are reports that the race may return to a city centre finish in 2019.

Not that Alaphilippe, riding for Quick-Step Floors, is shouting the odds on himself.

"The counter is reset to zero" is how he describes his approach to a race where, he insists, he is "one of several favourites".

Alaphilippe’s success followed a long-distance attack - and this appears to have created renewed confidence among riders who have grown used to finishing with a view of the Spaniard’s back.

"It's taken us five years, but finally we've found the right tactic to beat Valverde," Lotto-Soudal's Jelle Vanendert, third on the Mur de Huy, commented afterwards.

"You can't let his team crack out a constant pace at the front of the bunch. From the first time we went over the Mur de Huy, 

"I felt it was a different race, and that was clear at the end where Valverde was isolated. 

"He had to work himself, and that's why he finished second, not first.

Australian Michael Matthews of Team Sunweb looks likely to be a serious challenger, while Astana will be looking to Denmark's Michael Valgren and Jakob Fuglsang.

Team Sky's Polish rider Michal Kwiatkowski and his Dutch team-mate Wout Poels have excellent track records in Liège as well.

Ireland's UAE Team Emirates' leader Dan Martin, too, will be looking to recover from his disappointing Flèche Wallonne.

The Czech Republic's Roman Kreuziger, of Mitchelton-Scott, second in Amstel and fourth in Flèche, has so far been the most consistently successful racer of the Ardennes.

This year will also see the second edition of the women's Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

The women's race will be 135.5km riding from Bastogne to Liege missing the out leg of the male race. 

The final 40km will mirror that of the men's race taking in some of the tough cols along route.

This includes the Cote de la Redoute, arguably the most famous climb of the Monument.

In the women’s race, Anna Van Der Breggen, the Dutch Olympic champion, having successfully defended the Fleche Wallone Femmes title in midweek, will attempt to do the same in Liege having won the inaugural title last year.

Last year's runner-up Lizzie Deignan will be in absence due to her pregnancy.