2021 La Flèche Wallonne (World Tour), Belgium

La Flèche Wallonne podium history | 2020 edition | 2022 edition | Course map & profile | Start list

Charleroi - Mur de Huy, 193.6 km

Julian Alaphilippe wins ahead of Primoz Roglic. Photo: ASO/Aurelien Vialatte

Notable ascents:

• Km 51.5: Côte d'Yvoir, 2.5 km @ 6%
• Km 85.7: Côte de Thon, 1.2 km @ 6.9%
• Km 94.9: Côte de Groynne, 2.1 km @ 5%
• Km 100.4: Côte de Haut-Bois, 1.2 km @ 7.9%
• Km 114.7: Côte de Gives, 1.4 km @ 7.7%
• Km 130: Muy de Huy, 1.3km @ 10.2%
• Km 142.7: Côte d'Ereffe, 2.2 km @ 5.6%
• Km 152.2: Côte du Chemin des Gueuses, 1.9 km @ 6.5%
• Km 161.8: Mur de Huy, 1.3 km @ 9.7%
• Km 174.4: Côte d'Ereffe, 2.1 km @ 5.6%
• Km 183.9: Côte du Chemin des Gueuses
• Km 193.6: Mur de Huy, 1.3 km @ 9.7%

Weather at the finish city of Huy at 2:25 PM, local time: 16C (60F), partly cloudy, with the wind from the north at 16 km/hr (10 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: The official start was given at 11:32.

Here's the organizer's race report:

Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) returned to his winning habits on the Mur de Huy, conquering the Flèche Wallonne for the third time in his career (2018, 19, 21) on Wednesday. The French World Champion edged Primoz Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) in the final metres after a strong attack from the Slovenian in his first attempt on the Mur. The Spanish expert Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) finished 3rd and claimed a podium spot for the 8th time in Huy. This is Julian Alaphilippe’s third victory with the rainbow jersey on his shoulders and the second this season.

The 168 starters roll from the Dôme, Spirou Charleroi Bastket Club’s facility, and reach km 0 at 11:32.

UAE Team Emirates, featuring last year’s winner Marc Hirschi and Tadej Pogačar, don’t start after two members of the team underwent tests that returned positive to Covid-19.

Attacks fly from the gun and it takes 19km of hard battle for a group of five riders to get away with Alex Howes (EF Education-Nippo), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto-Soudal), Sander Armée (Team Qhubeka Assos), Maurits Lammertink (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) and Julian Mertens (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise). They are joined by Diego Rosa (Arkéa-Samsic), Louis Vervaeke (Alpecin-Fenix) and Simone Velasco (Gazprom-Rusvelo) at km 39.

The gap reaches 5’10’’ over the first climb of the day, Côte d’Yvoir (km 51.5), with Sander Armée leading the breakaway. Riders from Ineos-Grenadiers, Movistar, Jumbo-Visma and Deceuninck-Quick-Step work together to control the break with a maximum gap of 5’25’’ at km 75.

Ineos-Grenadiers set the stage for Pidcock
The tension increases in the bunch in the first climbing sequence of the day, with the Côte de Thon, Côte de Groynne and Côte de Haut-Bois. Movistar take the helm in the Côte de Gives and the gap is down to 3’15’’ as the race enters the final circuit, with 71km to go.

The pack moves closer with the first ascent of the Mur de Huy: 2’25’’ at the summit with Ineos-Grenadiers’ Tom Pidcock and Michal Kwiatkowski in the front positions. The British squad keeps pushing on the Côte d’Ereffe before Dylan Teuns’ Bahrain Victorious set the pace with 40km to go.

A strong pace on the penultimate ascent of the Mur de Huy sees the race explode. Only Vervaeke, Lammertink, Armée, Moniquet and Howes remain at the front with a lead down to 1'15''. Simon Geschke (Cofidis) accelerates in the bunch, many other riders counter-attack and there are only about 70 riders left in contention for the win.

High tension in the finish
The final lap begins with a crash involving the former winner Philippe Gilbert (Lotto Soudal) and the gifted rookie Pidcock. They both return to the bunch with some 25km to go, ahead of the final challenges of the day. Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ) leads the bunch in the final ascent of the Côte d’Ereffe and cuts the attackers’ lead to 30’’.

Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) accelerates at the bottom of the penultimate climb of the day, Côte du chemin des Gueuses. Omar Fraile (Astana) and Ilan Van Wilder (Team DSM) join him but Deceuninck-Quick-Step and Ineos-Grenadiers make sure they are caught right after the summit, with under 10km to go to the finish.

Lammertink holds on for as long as possible at the front and is eventually caught right at the bottom of the Mur de Huy. Primoz Roglič is the first favorite to go, 350m from the line. His massive acceleration allows him to open a gap but Julian Alaphilippe slowly catches him and moves past in the final 100m to conquer the Flèche Wallonne for the third time.

Complete results:

193.6 kilometers raced at an average speed of 42.024 km/hr

1	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP	4hr 36min 25sec
2	PRIMOŽ ROGLIC	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
3	ALEJANDRO VALVERDE	MOVISTAR	@ 6sec
4	MICHAEL WOODS	ISRAEL START-UP NATION	0:08
5	WARREN BARGUIL	ARKEA-SAMSIC	0:11
6	THOMAS PIDCOCK	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
7	DAVID GAUDU	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
8	JHOAN ESTEBAN CHAVES	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	s.t.
9	RICHARD CARAPAZ	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
10	MAXIMILIAN SCHACHMANN	BORA-HANSGROHE	0:16
11	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
12	BEN TULETT	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
13	ALEX ARANBURU DEBA	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
14	QUINTEN HERMANS	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
15	PATRICK KONRAD	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
16	GUILLAUME MARTIN	COFIDIS	s.t.
17	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH	0:19
18	BENOIT COSNEFROY	AG2R-CITROEN	0:21
19	JACK HAIG	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
20	ADAM YATES	INEOS GRENADIERS	0:27
21	MICHAEL MATTHEWS	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	0:28
22	WOUTER POELS	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	0:32
23	MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
24	MARCO BRENNER	TEAM DSM	0:36
25	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
26	MAURO FINETTO	DELKO	s.t.
27	MAURI VANSEVENANT	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP	s.t.
28	SERGIO LUIS HENAO	QHUBEKA-ASSOS	s.t.
29	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	0:40
30	NICOLA CONCI	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
31	KRISTS NEILANDS	ISRAEL START-UP NATION	0:42
32	DYLAN TEUNS	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
33	AURÉLIEN PARET PEINTRE	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
34	FERNANDO BARCELO	COFIDIS	s.t.
35	SIMON CARR	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO	0:46
36	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
37	SAM OOMEN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
38	ROBERT GESINK	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
39	LORENZO ROTA	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	0:51
40	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	0:54
41	FABIO ARU	QHUBEKA-ASSOS	0:57
42	MIKKEL HONORÉ	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP	1:00
43	JELLE VANENDERT	BINGOAL-WB	s.t.
44	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
45	CLÉMENT CHAMPOUSSIN	AG2R-CITROEN	1:05
46	MICHAEL HUNDAHL VALGREN	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO	1:06
47	ROMAN KREUZIGER	GAZPROM-RUSVELO	1:07
48	ROBERT STANNARD	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	1:11
49	TOMS SKUJINS	TREK-SEGAFREDO	1:15
50	THYMEN ARENSMAN	TEAM DSM	1:18
51	FLORIS DE TIER	ALPECIN-FENIX	1:28
52	DARYL IMPEY	ISRAEL START-UP NATION	1:30
53	ANDREAS LEKNESSUND	TEAM DSM	s.t.
54	MARK DONOVAN	TEAM DSM	1:35
55	JONATHAN CAICEDO	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO	s.t.
56	JAN TRATNIK	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	1:37
57	MATEJ MOHORIC	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
58	OMAR FRAILE	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
59	DORIAN GODON	AG2R-CITROEN	1:47
60	RUBEN FERNANDEZ	COFIDIS	1:58
61	ILAN VAN WILDER	TEAM DSM	1:59
62	TAO GEOGHEGAN HART	INEOS GRENADIERS	2:12
63	JAMES KNOX	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP	2:13
64	LOUIS VERVAEKE	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
65	SIMON CLARKE	QHUBEKA-ASSOS	s.t.
66	CARLOS VERONA	MOVISTAR	2:17
67	JAN BAKELANTS	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	2:35
68	MARTIJN TUSVELD	TEAM DSM	s.t.
69	SERGEI CHERNETSKII	GAZPROM-RUSVELO	s.t.
70	PHILIPPE GILBERT	LOTTO SOUDAL	2:39
71	MATTIA CATTANEO	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP	2:44
72	ALEXEY LUTSENKO	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH	2:51
73	STEFAN DE BOD	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
74	BRENT BOOKWALTER	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	s.t.
75	LUKASZ OWSIAN	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
76	SIMON GESCHKE	COFIDIS	s.t.
77	ENRIC MAS	MOVISTAR	3:01
78	ANTHONY PEREZ	COFIDIS	s.t.
79	MAURITS LAMMERTINK	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	3:06
80	DRIES DEVENYNS	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP	3:11
81	SANDER ARMEE	QHUBEKA-ASSOS	3:17
82	SYLVAIN MONIQUET	LOTTO SOUDAL	3:41
83	LENNARD HOFSTEDE	JUMBO-VISMA	3:53
84	JONAS VINGEGAARD	JUMBO-VISMA	4:05
85	IDE SCHELLING	BORA-HANSGROHE	4:45
86	VALENTIN MADOUAS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	4:54
87	JIMMY JANSSENS	ALPECIN-FENIX	5:48
88	TOSH VAN DER SANDE	LOTTO SOUDAL	6:22
89	ALEXANDER KAMP	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
90	ROB POWER	QHUBEKA-ASSOS	s.t.
91	MATTEO JORGENSON	MOVISTAR	s.t.
92	CESARE BENEDETTI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
93	TSGABU GEBREMARYAM GRMAY	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	s.t.
94	ROMAIN SEIGLE	GROUPAMA-FDJ	6:32
95	THOMAS SPRENGERS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	6:57
96	BRUNO ARMIRAIL	GROUPAMA-FDJ	7:33
97	LAURENT PICHON	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
98	G LAWSON CRADDOCK	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO	7:35
99	ALEX HOWES	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO	8:15
100	SIMONE VELASCO	GAZPROM-RUSVELO	8:23
101	BINIAM GIRMAY	DELKO	8:45
102	MATTHIEU LADAGNOUS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
103	JULIAN MERTENS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	8:59
104	LAURENS HUYS	BINGOAL-WB	s.t.
105	DELIO FERNANDEZ CRUZ	DELKO	9:11
106	DIEGO ROSA	ARKEA-SAMSIC	10:09
107	SEAN BENNETT	QHUBEKA-ASSOS	11:06
108	PHILIPP WALSLEBEN	ALPECIN-FENIX	11:18
109	RUNE HERREGODTS	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	12:01
110	HIDETO NAKANE	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO	s.t.
111	XANDRO MEURISSE	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
112	REMY MERTZ	BINGOAL-WB	s.t.
113	LAWRENCE NAESEN	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
114	RETO HOLLENSTEIN	ISRAEL START-UP NATION	s.t.
115	SÉBASTIEN GRIGNARD	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
116	NIKLAS EG	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
117	AIME DE GENDT	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	12:05
118	KEVIN VAN MELSEN	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
119	LUC WIRTGEN	BINGOAL-WB	12:16
120	DMITRII STRAKHOV	GAZPROM-RUSVELO	s.t.
121	JORGE ARCAS	MOVISTAR	12:17
122	ALAN RIOU	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
123	MICHAEL SCHÄR	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
124	KEVIN LEDANOIS	ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
125	PAUL MARTENS	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
126	CHRISTOPHER JENSEN	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	s.t.
127	HUGO HOULE	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
128	MARCO CANOLA	GAZPROM-RUSVELO	12:26
129	CHRISTOPH PFINGSTEN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
130	LUKE ROWE	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
131	MATHIJS PAASSCHENS	BINGOAL-WB	s.t.
132	EROS CAPECCHI	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
133	JAMES PICCOLI	ISRAEL START-UP NATION	s.t.
134	ALEX COLMAN	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	13:21
135	TOMASZ MARCZYNSKI	LOTTO SOUDAL	13:30
136	PATRICK GAMPER	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
137	GUILLAUME BOIVIN	ISRAEL START-UP NATION	13:52
138	AUGUST JENSEN	DELKO	s.t.
139	BARNABÁS PEÁK	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE	s.t.

Course map and profile:

2021 Flèche Wallonne map

2021 Flèche Wallonne profile

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Start list with back numbers, April 20, 2021:

	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
1	MARC HIRSCHI
2	TADEJ POGACAR
3	RUI COSTA
4	DAVIDE FORMOLO
5	VEGARD STAKE LAENGEN
6	JAN POLANC
7	DIEGO ULISSI
	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
11	BENOIT COSNEFROY
12	CLÉMENT CHAMPOUSSIN
13	STAN DEWULF
14	DORIAN GODON
15	LAWRENCE NAESEN
16	AURÉLIEN PARET PEINTRE
17	MICHAEL SCHÄR
	ISRAEL START-UP NATION
21	MICHAEL WOODS
22	GUILLAUME BOIVIN
23	RETO HOLLENSTEIN
24	DARYL IMPEY
25	KRISTS NEILANDS
26	JAMES PICCOLI
27	GUY SAGIV
	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC
31	WARREN BARGUIL
32	KEVIN LEDANOIS
33	MATIS LOUVEL
34	LUKASZ OWSIAN
35	LAURENT PICHON
36	ALAN RIOU
37	DIEGO ROSA
	EF EDUCATION-NIPPO
41	SERGIO ANDRES HIGUITA
42	JONATHAN CAICEDO
43	SIMON CARR
44	G LAWSON CRADDOCK
45	ALEX HOWES
46	MICHAEL HUNDAHL VALGREN
47	HIDETO NAKANE
	DECEUNINCK-QUICK STEP
51	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE
52	MATTIA CATTANEO
53	JOSEF CERNÝ
54	DRIES DEVENYNS
55	MIKKEL HONORÉ
56	JAMES KNOX
57	MAURI VANSEVENANT
	INEOS GRENADIERS
61	THOMAS PIDCOCK
62	RICHARD CARAPAZ
63	EDWARD DUNBAR
64	TAO GEOGHEGAN HART
65	MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI
66	LUKE ROWE
67	ADAM YATES
	BORA-HANSGROHE
71	MAXIMILIAN SCHACHMANN
72	CESARE BENEDETTI
73	PATRICK GAMPER
74	PATRICK KONRAD
75	JORDI MEEUS
76	IDE SCHELLING
77	ANDREAS SCHILLINGER
	TREK-SEGAFREDO
81	BAUKE MOLLEMA
82	JULIEN BERNARD
83	NICOLA CONCI
84	NIKLAS EG
85	ALEXANDER KAMP
86	JUAN PEDRO LOPEZ
87	TOMS SKUJINS
	COFIDIS
91	GUILLAUME MARTIN
92	FERNANDO BARCELO
93	RUBEN FERNANDEZ
94	SIMON GESCHKE
95	JESUS HERRADA
96	VICTOR LAFAY
97	ANTHONY PEREZ
	GROUPAMA-FDJ
101	DAVID GAUDU
102	BRUNO ARMIRAIL
103	WILLIAM BONNET
104	MATTHIEU LADAGNOUS
105	VALENTIN MADOUAS
106	RUDY MOLARD
107	ROMAIN SEIGLE
	BINGOAL-WB
111	JELLE VANENDERT
112	LAURENS HUYS
113	REMY MERTZ
114	KENNY MOLLY
115	MATHIJS PAASSCHENS
116	TOM PAQUOT
117	LUC WIRTGEN
	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
121	DYLAN TEUNS
122	EROS CAPECCHI
123	JACK HAIG
124	MATEJ MOHORIC
125	WOUTER POELS
126	JAN TRATNIK
127	STEPHEN WILLIAMS
	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE
131	MICHAEL MATTHEWS
132	BRENT BOOKWALTER
133	JHOAN ESTEBAN CHAVES
134	TSGABU GEBREMARYAM GRMAY
135	CHRISTOPHER JENSEN
136	BARNABÁS PEÁK
137	ROBERT STANNARD
	ASTANA-PREMIER TECH
141	JAKOB FUGLSANG
142	ALEX ARANBURU DEBA
143	SAMUELE BATTISTELLA
144	STEFAN DE BOD
145	OMAR FRAILE
146	HUGO HOULE
147	ALEXEY LUTSENKO
	LOTTO SOUDAL
151	TIM WELLENS
152	PHILIPPE GILBERT
153	SÉBASTIEN GRIGNARD
154	TOMASZ MARCZYNSKI
155	SYLVAIN MONIQUET
156	STEFANO OLDANI
157	TOSH VAN DER SANDE
	ALPECIN-FENIX
161	LOUIS VERVAEKE
162	FLORIS DE TIER
163	JIMMY JANSSENS
164	XANDRO MEURISSE
165	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI
166	BEN TULETT
167	PHILIPP WALSLEBEN
	TEAM QHUBEKA ASSOS
171	FABIO ARU
172	SANDER ARMEE
173	SEAN BENNETT
174	SIMON CLARKE
175	SERGIO LUIS HENAO
176	BERT-JAN LINDEMAN
177	ROB POWER
	JUMBO-VISMA
181	PRIMOŽ ROGLIC
182	ROBERT GESINK
183	LENNARD HOFSTEDE
184	PAUL MARTENS
185	SAM OOMEN
186	CHRISTOPH PFINGSTEN
187	JONAS VINGEGAARD
	MOVISTAR TEAM
191	ALEJANDRO VALVERDE
192	JORGE ARCAS
193	IVAN GARCIA CORTINA
194	MATTEO JORGENSON
195	ENRIC MAS
196	GONZALO SERRANO RODRIGUEZ
197	CARLOS VERONA
	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT MATERIAUX
201	JAN BAKELANTS
202	AIME DE GENDT
203	QUINTEN HERMANS
204	MAURITS LAMMERTINK
205	LORENZO ROTA
206	KEVIN VAN MELSEN
207	LOÏC VLIEGEN
	TEAM DSM
211	ANDREAS LEKNESSUND
212	THYMEN ARENSMAN
213	MARCO BRENNER
214	MARK DONOVAN
215	CHAD HAGA
216	MARTIJN TUSVELD
217	ILAN VAN WILDER
	GAZPROM-RUSVELO
221	ROMAN KREUZIGER
222	MARCO CANOLA
223	SERGEI CHERNETSKII
224	PETR RIKUNOV
225	IVAN ROVNY
226	DMITRII STRAKHOV
227	SIMONE VELASCO
	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE
231	AARON VAN POUCKE
232	ALEX COLMAN
233	RUNE HERREGODTS
234	ARNE MARIT
235	JULIAN MERTENS
236	THOMAS SPRENGERS
237	AARON VERWILST
	DELKO
241	BINIAM GIRMAY
242	CLÉMENT CARISEY
243	ALESSANDRO FEDELI
244	DELIO FERNANDEZ CRUZ
245	MAURO FINETTO
246	AUGUST JENSEN
247	MATHIAS LE TURNIER