photo credits @ La Flèche Wallonne
Tadej Pogačar continued to stamp his authority in this season’s Spring Classics, after claiming today’s La Flèche Wallonne with a stinging, uphill attack during the final 150 meters to seize the day’s honors ahead of Mattias Skjelmose (Trek-Segafredo) and Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) in the cobbled race.
Race Highlights
It took 16 kilometers of racing until a small breakaway group containing Jacob Hindsgaul Madsen (Uno-X), Daryl Impey (Israel-Premier Tech), Lawrence Naesen (AG2R-Citroen), Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche-Circus-Wanty), Soren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Raul Garcia Pierna (Kern Pharma), Johan Meens (Bingoal WB) and Jetse Bol (Burgos BH) succeeded in riding clear of the peloton.
Tight control
Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates and Tom Pidcock’s Ineos Grenadiers took turns at the head of the peloton to control the gap of the breakaway, which later swelled to 3:50 after 64 kilometers of racing. But, by the time the race hit the first passing of the Mur de Huy, the lead was down to 1:15, while Naesen was dropped from the group.
Unrewarded attacks
The race situation only changed when the breakaway hit the Côte d’Ereffe for the second time, with Kragh Andersen attacking at the front, a move that was quickly followed by Zimmermann.
At the final passing of the Mur de Huy, the duo was clinging to almost a one minute advantage, where Samuele Battistella (Astana Qazaqstan) launched an attack that was later echoed by Louis Vervaeke (Soudal-Quick Step), later creating a four-rider lead group with 31 kilometers to go.
However, the menace of crosswinds prompted the peloton to up its pace, later reducing the lead quartet’s margin to just 25 seconds with 25 kilometers to go.
Vervaeke, last man standing
The climb to the Côte d’Ereffe saw Zimmermann lose ground to the breakaway, with Vervaeke going solo on the Côte de Cherave, later reaching the summit with a slim 12 second advantage over the group. But, clutch time came with the Mur de Huy, as the lone leader was caught right under the flamme rouge.
From there, all of the favorites bided their time in the slopes of the Huy, with Romain Bardet (Team DSM) being the first to attack with just 250 meters left.
However, the French rider was quickly overtaken by Pogačar, followed by Skjelmose and Landa.
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