Like Demi Vollering in the women’s race, Tadej Pogačar followed up Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race with victory in Wednesday’s La Flèche Wallonne, the second race of Ardennes Week. Michael Woods finished just off the podium after a strong demonstration on the Mur de Huy.
The Course
The only sub-200-km race of Ardennes Week, La Flèche Wallonne contained two 37.5-km finishing circuits, each with Cote d’Ereffe (2.1 km of 5.4 percent), Cote de Cherave (1.3 km of 7.5 percent) and the Mur de Huy, but all three were climbed before that. This race tends to be about the final clash on the Mur de Huy, a 1.3 km wall that averages 9.3 percent, but ramps up to 26 percent in one bend.
Israel-Premier Tech supplied the Canadian contingent: 2020 podium man Michael Woods, Guillaume Boivin and Hugo Houle.
#FlecheWallonne 🚴♂️🇧🇪
The men are off 🏳️
It’s another typically hilly day out in the Ardennes rounded off by the steep Mur de Huy ↗️🏁 pic.twitter.com/DNvsCeu8UJ
— Team Jayco AlUla (@GreenEDGEteam) April 19, 2023
There was a long stretch between the first two climbs and the first appearance of d’Ereffe and Cherave. It was here that the eight riders of the breakaway, an even mix of WorldTeams and ProTeams, flew their flags.
Many teams contributed to the pace-making in the peloton as the race climbed d’Ereffe, Cherave and the Huy for the first time, but UAE-Emirates was the most prominent.
First Circuit
David Gaudu, who had been enjoying a fine spring, abandoned the race in the first full circuit.
The fugitive octet fragmented on Cote d’Ereffe, and by the Cote de Cherave, there was only a duo up front, with former breakmates spread out over the road between this twosome and the peloton. On the Mur de Huy, there were no attacks from the favourites, but two fellows skipped away to make a leading quartet heading into the final circuit.
Last Circuit
The break hit the d’Ereffe with a 27-second gap. Jumbo-Visma appointed Sam Oomen to stir things up on the lower slopes, but the only result of this climb was that the quartet up front was streamlined to a trio. UAE-Emirates reestablished its dominance. A lone escapee, Louis Vervaeke (Belgium/Soudal-Quick Step), spun up Cote de Cherave.
Great ride, @LouisVervaeke 🙌
We tip our hat 👏#FlecheWallonne
Photo: @GettySport pic.twitter.com/mSQPrvPbJr
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) April 19, 2023
Mur de Huy
Once…
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