2022 La Flèche Wallonne (World Tour), Belgium

86th edition: Wednesday, April 20, 2022

La Flèche Wallonne podium history | 2021 edition | 2023 edition | Course map & profile | Start list

Blegny - Huy, 202.5 km

Dylan Teuns is the first to the top of the Mur de Huy. Photo: ASO/G. Demouveaux

Notable ascents:

• Km 44.2: Côte de Tancrémont, 2.6 km @ 5.9%
• Km 55.1: Côte de Forges, 1.3 km @ 7.8%
• Km 121.3: Côte d’Ereffe, 2.1 km @ 5%
• Km 134.1: Côte de Cherave, 1.3 km @ 8.1%
• Km 139.8: Mur de Huy, 1.3 km @ 9.6%
• Km 152.5: Côte d’Ereffe, 2.1 km @ 5%
• Km 165.2: Côte de Cherave, 1.3 km @ 8.1%
• Km 170.9: Mur de Huy, 1.3 km @ 9.6%
• Km 183.6: Côte d’Ereffe, 2.1 km @ 5%
• Km 196.4: Côte de Cherave, 1.3 km @ 8.1%
• Km 202.1: Mur de Huy, 1.3 km @ 9.6%

Les Woodland's book Cycling's World Championships: The Inside Story is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Weather at the finish city of Huy at 1:30 PM, local time: 16C (60F), fair, with the wind from the northeast at 21 km/hr (14 mph). No rain is forecast.

The race: 173 riders began the race at 11:32 AM. Two riders, neither feeling well, did not start: Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco) & Andreas Kron (Lotto Soudal).

Here's the organizer's race summary:

Belgian ‘puncheur’ Dylan Teuns won the Flèche Wallonne by timing his effort perfectly to be the quickest up the Mur de Huy, which once again was crucial and definitive on the first of the two Ardennes classics.

The Bahrain Victorious rider defeated Movistar Team’s Alejandro Valverde, who on his final appearance on this race was not able to extend his record victory count from five to six. Third in contention was Bora-Hansgrohe’s Alexander Vlasov, with current World Champion Julian Alaphilippe in fourth place and Ineos Grenadiers’ Daniel Martínez in fifth. It’s the first time a Belgian rider wins the Flèche Wallonne since Philippe Gilbert’s victory in 2011.

The podium, from left: the ageless Alejandro Valverde (2nd), Dylan Teuns (1st) & Aleksandr Vlasov (3rd)

173 riders took the start on the 86th edition of the Flèche Wallonne at 11:32 as there were two non-starters, Michael Matthews (BikeExchange-Jayco) and Andreas Kron (Lotto-Soudal), both sick.

In the first hour. It looks like a nice day for a bike race. Photo: ASO/Gautier Demouveaux

Morten Hulgaard (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team), Paul Ourselin (TotalEnergies) and Ruben Apers (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) staged an attempt to break away that didn’t succeed. It was at kilometer 28 that Daryl Impey (Israel-PremierTech), Simon Guglielmi (Arkéa-Samsic), Bruno Armirail (Groupama-FDJ), Chris Juul Jensen (BikeExchange-Jayco), Jimmy Janssens (Alpecin-Fenix), Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies) Pierre Rolland (B&B Hotels-KTM) and the aforementioned Hulgaard managed to go clear.

Some minutes later, Jens Reynders (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and Luc Wirtgen (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauces) countered as the bunch decided to let the group become the breakaway of the day. Wirtgen bridged back atop the Côte des Forges (km 55,1), while Reynders took some further 10 kilometers to regain the head of the race.

Not much leeway for the attackers
The 10-man group managed to build a maximum advantage of 3’15”, clocked 90 kilometers into the race, over the pack, led by UAE Team Emirates, Ineos Grenadiers and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl. The nervous approach to the final circuit, which was to be lapped three times, brought the gap down to 1’35” atop the first climb to the Côte d’Ereffe (km 121,3). The climbs began to wear down the riders at the front. Reynders and Wirtgen were dropped in the Côte de Cherave (km 134,1), as were Juul Jensen, Hulgaard and Rolland on the second time up the Côte d’Ereffe (km 152,5). Meanwhile, back in the bunch, pre-race favorite Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) got dropped atop the Mur de Huy (km 139,8). He withdrew from the race soon after.

Victory up for grabs in Huy
As the breakaway got smaller, bigger was the will of the riders on the bunch to attack. We saw several attempts from Intermarché-Wanty Gobert riders, but it was Simon Carr (EF Education-EasyPost) who took off on the second climb to the Côte de Cherave (km 165,2) and pulled off a successful chase to regain the head of the race with 25 kilometers to go. Carr did not settle with being at the front and decided to attack again while climbing the Côte d’Ereffe (km 183,6), with Ferron on his wheel, leaving the rest of their breakaway companions to be caught by the bunch shortly after. The peloton shut down their move for good with 9 kilometres to go.

The last climb to the Côte de Cherave (km 196,4) saw aggression from Rémy Rochas (Cofidis), Mauri Vansevenant (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Soren Kragh Andersen (Team DSM). The Frenchman got dropped on the way to the Mur de Huy, while the Belgian and the Dane were overtaken by the bunch under the last kilometer banner. Movistar Team set the pace up the Mur de Huy with Carlos Verona and Enric Mas, but in came Dylan Teuns to frustrate the plans of the Spanish team with the powerful acceleration he launched at the 200 meters to go sign.

Dylan Teuns has got the race won. Sirotti pnoto

World Road Champion Julian Alaphilippe was fourth. Sirotti photo

 

Results:

202.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 43.055 km/hr

1	DYLAN TEUNS	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	4hr 42min 12sec
2	ALEJANDRO VALVERDE	MOVISTAR TEAM	@ 2sec
3	ALEKSANDR VLASOV	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
4	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	0' 05''
5	DANIEL FELIPE MARTINEZ	INEOS GRENADIERS	0' 07''
6	MICHAEL WOODS	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
7	RUBEN ANTONIO ALMEIDA	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
8	RUDY MOLARD	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
9	WARREN BARGUIL	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
10	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ	TOTALENERGIES	s.t.
11	TIESJ BENOOT	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
12	TADEJ POGACAR	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
13	BENOIT COSNEFROY	AG2R-CITROEN	s.t.
14	NICHOLAS SCHULTZ	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
15	DOMENICO POZZOVIVO	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
16	JESUS HERRADA	COFIDIS	0' 15''
17	QUENTIN PACHER	GROUPAMA-FDJ	0' 17''
18	MATTIAS JENSEN	TREK-SEGAFREDO	0' 21''
19	NEILSON POWLESS	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	0' 24''
20	TOBIAS JOHANNESSEN	UNO-X	s.t.
21	BAUKE MOLLEMA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
22	VICTOR LAFAY	COFIDIS	s.t.
23	TIM WELLENS	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
24	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
25	WOUTER POELS	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
26	JAI HINDLEY	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
27	KAMIEL BONNEU	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	s.t.
28	SYLVAIN MONIQUET	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
29	DIEGO ULISSI	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
30	SÉBASTIEN REICHENBACH	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
31	ANDREY ZEITS	ASTANA-QAZAQSTAN	s.t.
32	MARC HIRSCHI	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
33	ENRIC MAS	MOVISTAR TEAM	0' 33''
34	VINCENZO NIBALI	ASTANA-QAZAQSTAN	0' 35''
35	XANDRO MEURISSE	ALPECIN-FENIX	0' 37''
36	GIANLUCA BRAMBILLA	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
37	CARLOS RODRIGUEZ	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
38	JEREMY CABOT	TOTALENERGIES	0' 41''
39	FLORIS DE TIER	ALPECIN-FENIX	0' 44''
40	SØREN KRAGH ANDERSEN	TEAM DSM	s.t.
41	JACK HAIG	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	0' 47''
42	RIGOBERTO URAN	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	0' 51''
43	REMCO EVENEPOEL	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	s.t.
44	KÉVIN GENIETS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
45	CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ	TOTALENERGIES	s.t.
46	ANTWAN TOLHOEK	TREK-SEGAFREDO	0' 54''
47	ELIE GESBERT	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
48	JAN POLANC	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
49	SIMON GESCHKE	COFIDIS	0' 58''
50	SIMONE PETILLI	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	1' 00''
51	LUIS LEON SANCHEZ	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
52	GIJS LEEMREIZE	JUMBO-VISMA	1' 08''
53	JAKOB FUGLSANG	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	1' 16''
54	HUGO HOULE	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
55	GINO MÄDER	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
56	VICTOR KORETZKY	B&B HOTELS-KTM	1' 22''
57	CARLOS VERONA	MOVISTAR TEAM	1' 33''
58	ROBERT GESINK	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
59	JONAS WILSLY	UNO-X	s.t.
60	GEORG ZIMMERMANN	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
61	QUINTEN HERMANS	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	s.t.
62	GORKA IZAGIRRE	MOVISTAR TEAM	s.t.
63	MARC SOLER	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	1' 38''
64	MAURI VANSEVENANT	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	1' 40''
65	STEFAN DE BOD	ASTANA-QAZAQSTAN	1' 54''
66	ANTHONY DELAPLACE	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
67	JONATHAN HIVERT	B&B HOTELS-KTM	s.t.
68	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
69	SIMONE VELASCO	ASTANA-QAZAQSTAN	s.t.
70	ROBERT STANNARD	ALPECIN-FENIX	2' 06''
71	JAN BAKELANTS	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	2' 08''
72	PAUL OURSELIN	TOTALENERGIES	2' 12''
73	AURÉLIEN PARET PEINTRE	AG2R-CITROEN	2' 20''
74	DORIAN GODON	AG2R-CITROEN	2' 34''
75	CESARE BENEDETTI	BORA-HANSGROHE	2' 36''
76	KENNY MOLLY	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES	s.t.
77	MATTHEW HOLMES	LOTTO SOUDAL	3' 01''
78	BOB JUNGELS	AG2R-CITROEN	3' 11''
79	ELIOT LIETAER	B&B HOTELS-KTM	s.t.
80	ILAN VAN WILDER	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	3' 28''
81	JULIEN BERNARD	TREK-SEGAFREDO	3' 33''
82	TONY GALLOPIN	TREK-SEGAFREDO	s.t.
83	LUKASZ OWSIAN	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
84	LEON HEINSCHKE	TEAM DSM	s.t.
85	WINNER ANACONA	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC	s.t.
86	LUIS GUILLERMO MAS	MOVISTAR TEAM	3' 40''
87	MIKAEL CHEREL	AG2R-CITROEN	3' 45''
88	AXEL ZINGLE	COFIDIS	s.t.
89	ROMAIN COMBAUD	TEAM DSM	s.t.
90	RÉMY ROCHAS	COFIDIS	s.t.
91	ALAN JOUSSEAUME	TOTALENERGIES	3' 53''
92	MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI	INEOS GRENADIERS	4' 14''
93	ANTHONY PEREZ	COFIDIS	4' 48''
94	HENRI VANDENABEELE	TEAM DSM	5' 01''
95	VIKTOR VERSCHAEVE	LOTTO SOUDAL	s.t.
96	DAMIANO CARUSO	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
97	GIOVANNI ALEOTTI	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
98	GERAINT THOMAS	INEOS GRENADIERS	s.t.
99	STEPHEN WILLIAMS	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS	s.t.
100	GIANNI VERMEERSCH	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
101	ANTHONY ROUX	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
102	FREDERIK WANDAHL	BORA-HANSGROHE	s.t.
103	TSGABU GRMAY	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
104	LOUIS VERVAEKE	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL	s.t.
105	GREGOR MÜHLBERGER	MOVISTAR TEAM	s.t.
106	SIMON GUGLIELMI	TEAM ARKEA-SAMSIC	5' 26''
107	BRUNO ARMIRAIL	GROUPAMA-FDJ	6' 13''
108	SIMON CARR	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
109	VALENTIN FERRON	TOTALENERGIES	6' 15''
110	JIMMY JANSSENS	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
111	PASCAL EENKHOORN	JUMBO-VISMA	s.t.
112	JOS VAN EMDEN	JUMBO-VISMA	6' 22''
113	DARYL IMPEY	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	7' 05''
114	PIERRE ROLLAND	B&B HOTELS-KTM	8' 01''
115	JENNO BERCKMOES	SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE	10' 24''
116	LAWRENCE WARBASSE	AG2R-CITROEN	10' 41''
117	FREDRIK DVERSNES	UNO-X	11' 00''
118	TOM PAQUOT	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES	1' 05''
119	RETO HOLLENSTEIN	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH	s.t.
120	ALEXANDRE BALMER	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
121	JAN MAAS	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
122	MATTHIEU LADAGNOUS	GROUPAMA-FDJ	s.t.
123	MORTEN HULGAARD	UNO-X	s.t.
124	SCOTT THWAITES	ALPECIN-FENIX	s.t.
125	CHRISTOPHER JENSEN	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	s.t.
126	MARCO TIZZA	BINGOAL-PAUWELS SAUCES	s.t.
127	ALBERTO BETTIOL	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	s.t.
128	ANTONIO NIBALI	ASTANA-QAZAQSTAN	11' 30''
129	ION IZAGUIRRE	COFIDIS	11' 42''
130	BEN HEALY	EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST	11' 58''
131	THÉO DELACROIX	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT	12' 16''
132	SÉBASTIEN GRIGNARD	LOTTO SOUDAL	13' 18''
133	VEGARD STAKE LAENGEN	UAE TEAM EMIRATES	s.t.
134	MICHEL HESSMANN	JUMBO -VISMA	s.t.
135	RUBEN APERS	SPORT VLAANDEREN -BALOISE	13' 30''
136	IDE SCHELLING	BORA -HANSGROHE	16' 32''
137	FLORIAN STORK	TEAM DSM	16' 50''
138	PAUL LAPEIRA	AG2R CITROEN TEAM	17' 04''
139	JESUS DAVID PEÑA	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO	19' 21''
140	GILLES DE WILDE	SPORT VLAANDEREN -BALOISE	19' 37''

 

Course map and profile:

2022 Flèche Wallonne map

2022 Flèche Wallonne profile

---

Start list with back numbers, April 19, 2022:

	QUICK-STEP ALPHA VINYL TEAM
1	JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE
2	REMCO EVENEPOEL
3	PIETER SERRY
4	MAURI VANSEVENANT
5	STAN VAN TRICHT
6	ILAN VAN WILDER
7	LOUIS VERVAEKE
	JUMBO -VISMA
11	JONAS VINGEGAARD
12	TIESJ BENOOT
13	PASCAL EENKHOORN
14	ROBERT GESINK
15	MICHEL HEßMANN
16	GIJS LEEMREIZE
17	JOS VAN EMDEN
	MOVISTAR TEAM
21	ALEJANDRO VALVERDE
22	GORKA IZAGIRRE INSAUSTI
23	OIER LAZKANO LOPEZ
24	LUIS GUILLERMO MAS
25	ENRIC MAS
26	GREGOR MÜHLBERGER
27	CARLOS VERONA
	ISRAEL-PREMIER TECH
31	MICHAEL WOODS
32	JENTHE BIERMANS
33	GUILLAUME BOIVIN
34	JAKOB FUGLSANG
35	RETO HOLLENSTEIN
36	HUGO HOULE
37	DARYL IMPEY
	TEAM ARKEA -SAMSIC
41	WARREN BARGUIL
42	WINNER ANDREW ANACONA
43	ANTHONY DELAPLACE
44	ELIE GESBERT
45	SIMON GUGLIELMI
46	LUKASZ OWSIAN
47	ALAN RIOU
	UAE TEAM EMIRATES
51	TADEJ POGACAR
52	JUAN AYUSO PESQUERA
53	MARC HIRSCHI
54	VEGARD STAKE LAENGEN
55	JAN POLANC
56	MARC SOLER
57	DIEGO ULISSI
	INEOS GRENADIERS
61	THOMAS PIDCOCK
62	LAURENS DE PLUS
63	OMAR FRAILE
64	MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI
65	DANIEL FELIPE MARTINEZ
66	CARLOS RODRIGUEZ CANO
67	GERAINT THOMAS
	GROUPAMA -FDJ
71	RUDY MOLARD
72	BRUNO ARMIRAIL
73	KÉVIN GENIETS
74	MATTHIEU LADAGNOUS
75	QUENTIN PACHER
76	SÉBASTIEN REICHENBACH
77	ANTHONY ROUX
	TEAM BIKEEXCHANGE-JAYCO
81	MICHAEL MATTHEWS
82	ALEXANDRE BALMER
83	TSGABU GEBREMARYAM GRMAY
84	CHRISTOPHER JENSEN
85	JAN MAAS
86	JESUS DAVID PEÑA JIMENEZ
87	NICHOLAS SCHULTZ
	BORA -HANSGROHE
91	ALEKSANDR VLASOV
92	GIOVANNI ALEOTTI
93	CESARE BENEDETTI
94	JAI HINDLEY
95	PATRICK KONRAD
96	IDE SCHELLING
97	FREDERIK WANDAHL
	TREK -SEGAFREDO
101	BAUKE MOLLEMA
102	JULIEN BERNARD
103	GIANLUCA BRAMBILLA
104	TONY GALLOPIN
105	MATTIAS JENSEN
106	ALEXANDER KAMP
107	ANTWAN TOLHOEK
	ALPECIN -FENIX
111	XANDRO MEURISSE
112	FLORIS DE TIER
113	JIMMY JANSSENS
114	KRISTIAN SBARAGLI
115	ROBERT STANNARD
116	SCOTT THWAITES
117	GIANNI VERMEERSCH
	ASTANA -QAZAQSTAN TEAM
121	VINCENZO NIBALI
122	LEONARDO BASSO
123	STEFAN DE BOD
124	YEVGENIY FEDOROV
125	ANTONIO NIBALI
126	SIMONE VELASCO
127	ANDREY ZEITS
	INTERMARCHE-WANTY-GOBERT MATERIAUX
131	DOMENICO POZZOVIVO
132	JAN BAKELANTS
133	THÉO DELACROIX
134	QUINTEN HERMANS
135	LAURENS HUYS
136	SIMONE PETILLI
137	GEORG ZIMMERMANN
	COFIDIS
141	ION IZAGUIRRE INSAUSTI
142	SIMON GESCHKE
143	JESUS HERRADA
144	VICTOR LAFAY
145	ANTHONY PEREZ
146	RÉMY ROCHAS
147	AXEL ZINGLE
	AG2R CITROEN TEAM
151	BENOIT COSNEFROY
152	MIKAEL CHEREL
153	DORIAN GODON
154	BOB JUNGELS
155	PAUL LAPEIRA
156	AURÉLIEN PARET PEINTRE
157	LAWRENCE WARBASSE
	UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM
161	TOBIAS HALLAND JOHANNESSEN
162	IDAR ANDERSEN
163	FREDRIK DVERSNES
164	MORTEN HULGAARD
165	JACOB MADSEN
166	TORJUS SLEEN
167	JONAS WILSLY
	BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS
171	WOUTER POELS
172	DAMIANO CARUSO
173	JACK HAIG
174	GINO MÄDER
175	LUIS LEON SANCHEZ
176	DYLAN TEUNS
177	STEPHEN WILLIAMS
	TEAM DSM
181	SØREN KRAGH ANDERSEN
182	ROMAIN COMBAUD
183	LEON HEINSCHKE
184	JORIS NIEUWENHUIS
185	FLORIAN STORK
186	HENRI VANDENABEELE
187	KEVIN VERMAERKE
	TOTALENERGIES
191	ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ
192	JEREMY CABOT
193	FABIEN DOUBEY
194	VALENTIN FERRON
195	ALAN JOUSSEAUME
196	PAUL OURSELIN
197	CRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ MARTIN
	EF EDUCATION -EASYPOST
201	RIGOBERTO URAN
202	RUBEN ANTONIO ALMEIDA GUERREIRO
203	ALBERTO BETTIOL
204	SIMON CARR
205	ODD CHRISTIAN EIKING
206	BEN HEALY
207	NEILSON POWLESS
	LOTTO SOUDAL
211	TIM WELLENS
212	THOMAS DE GENDT
213	SÉBASTIEN GRIGNARD
214	MATTHEW HOLMES
215	ANDREAS KRON
216	SYLVAIN MONIQUET
217	VIKTOR VERSCHAEVE
	SPORT VLAANDEREN -BALOISE
221	JENNO BERCKMOES
222	RUBEN APERS
223	KAMIEL BONNEU
224	GILLES DE WILDE
225	RUNE HERREGODTS
226	JENS REYNDERS
227	AARON VAN POUCKE
	BINGOAL PAUWELS SAUCES WB
231	MATHIJS PAASSCHENS
232	JOHAN MEENS
233	REMY MERTZ
234	KENNY MOLLY
235	TOM PAQUOT
236	MARCO TIZZA
237	LUC WIRTGEN
	B&B HOTELS -KTM
241	FRANCK BONNAMOUR
242	ALAN BOILEAU
243	CYRIL GAUTIER
244	JONATHAN HIVERT
245	VICTOR KORETZKY
246	ELIOT LIETAER
247	PIERRE ROLLAND