Cycling star Pogačar wins Liège–Bastogne–Liège for third time. Kim Le Court takes women's race

Cycling star Tadej Pogačar launched one of his trademark uphill attacks to win the Liège–Bastogne–Liège classic race for the third time on Sunday.

The defending champion made his move some 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the end of the undulating 252-kilometer (156-mile) trek to open up a gap of 10 seconds at the top, and then kept increasing it all the way to the line.

It was his third victory overall at the spring classic race, which is also one of the five “monuments” in one-day cycling along with Paris-Roubaix on the cobbles, the Tour of Lombardy, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders.

Pogačar now has nine “monument” victories.

He was so far ahead Sunday that he even had time to turn and smile at the roadside camera filming him, then touched hands with fans near the finish before raising his arms in the air with victory assured.

He won in just over six hours and finished 1 minute, 3 seconds ahead of Italian Giulio Ciccone in second and Irishman Ben Healy in third. They contested a sprint to the line.

In decent racing conditions, Pogačar's UAE Team Emirates teammates increased the speed at the front of the main pack and the peloton caught a small group of front-runners with 60 kilometers to go, and with the main favorites still in contention.

But when Pogačar surged ahead on the Côte de La Redoute climb, no rider could follow him.

It was a similar story on Wednesday, when Pogačar launched a trademark uphill attack to win the Flèche Wallonne classic for the second time.

The 26-year-old Slovenian will aim to win the showcase Tour de France for the fourth time later this year.

It was a disappointing race for two-time champion Remco Evenepoel as the Belgian rider was dropped by Pogačar up the Redoute climb.

The two-time Olympic champion could not gain any time back and instead dropped down to finish in 59th place, 3:11 behind Pogačar.

Mauritian rider Kim Le Court won the women's race for the first time as four riders contested a sprint finish.

The 2023 champion Demi Vollering attacked first but Le Court countered her and then held off Dutchwoman Puck Pieterse, who won the Flèche Wallonne classic on Wednesday.

Pieterse finished second ahead of countrywoman Vollering and French rider Cédrine Kerbaol in fourth.

The four riders completed the 152.9-kilometer (94.8-mile) route in 4 hours, 15 minutes, 42 seconds.

It was the first classics win for the 29-year-old Le Court.

Kerbaol broke ahead near the end and led by 14 seconds with 11 kilometers left and threatened to extend her advantage, but Pieterse went after her.

World road race champion Lotte Kopecky of Belgium could not follow and cracked in the final climb up Roche-aux-Faucons.

But Pieterse, Vollering and Le Court caught Kerbaol with a few kilometers remaining to make it a four-way sprint finish.

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Mauritius' Kim Le Court de Billot of the AG Insurance Soudal team crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

First place, Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates URG team, center, celebrates on the podium with second place, Italy's Giulio Ciccone of the Lidl Trek team, left, and third place Ireland's Ben Healy of the EF Education Easypost team during the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

First place, Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates URG team, center, celebrates on the podium with second place, Italy's Giulio Ciccone of the Lidl Trek team, left, and third place Ireland's Ben Healy of the EF Education Easypost team during the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates URG team greets the crowd as he prepares to cross the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Mauritius' Kim Le Court de Billot of the AG Insurance Soudal team, left, crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates URG team crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Mauritius' Kim Le Court de Billot of the AG Insurance Soudal team crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates URG team crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Mauritius' Kim Le Court de Billot of the AG Insurance Soudal team, left, crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates URG team crosses the finish line to win the Belgian cycling classic and UCI World Tour race Liege Bastogne Liege, in Liege, Belgium, Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)