We're entering the Belgian part of the Ardennes with the penultimate major spring classic, La Flèche Wallonne. In its first years in the 1930s, the race was up to 300 kilometers long and finished in Liège. Since then, the route has changed multiple times until settling on Huy as the finish town in 1983. Up until the 1970s, the race had been dominated by local riders, but that has changed in recent decades, and since 1976, only six editions have been won by Belgians.

The Flèche Wallonne doesn't have as many hills as the Amstel Gold Race or La Doyenne in a few days. What it does have though is the iconic finish atop the Mur de Huy. The final slope averages around 10% over 1,3 kilometers, going as steep as 27%, and will probably be the deciding factor of the race.

We're here with the same team as a few days ago, except that we swapped Sagans: Juraj is here replacing Peter, who's taking a well-deserved break before returning in preparation of the Tour de France. This in turn means that, especially after my previous results, I'm the undisputed leader of the team today. While the race doesn't suit me as much, I'll do my best to at least come close to replicating my Amstel result.

Masterblaster01 wrote:
Wow! Have been catching up and some really, really, really(!) great results i'm seering here! Just fenomenal!

rogvi97 wrote:
Keep up, Emu seems to be in hot form!

Croatia14 wrote:
undisputed leader, not sure if Jay is happy with that...could work with Emu for an attack and Jay for the final hill...

We're almost done with the spring classics, only two races remain. The weather is beautiful, sunshine, no winds - it's all set for a great day of racing.

For me, this is possibly the toughest of the classics. I simply lack the punch for a steep uphill sprint finish that we can expect on the Mur de Huy, and I doubt that the peloton will let me get away like they did a few days ago, should I even get the chance. But let's see what happens.

Despite the great conditions, a first big crash takes down 29 riders, among them Juraj Sagan. No major contender was among them.

Meanwhile, 14 riders formed the large break of the day. Unfortunately, we missed the group.

Juraj seemed to be hurt in the crash, as he was one of the first riders to fall behind in the last fourth of the race.

At this point, rifts in the peloton became more and more frequent. Most of them were closed soon after they opened, but the pace was high and positioning was key now.

Atop the Côte de Cherave, Henao and Alaphilippe attack! I'm well positioned, but I don't have the punch to follow them, so I decide to stay in the peloton.

Which is a good thing, since both of them are caught quickly. So once more, the Mur de Huy will determine the winner. 29 riders are left in the first group, Jay and I are there, and even Silvio Herklotz and José Mendes managed to hang on, though just barely.

Into the Mur, I'm sitting in Michal Kwiatkowski's wheel, the perfect position. I know I won't be able to keep up all the way, but for a good result, this is the place to be - I hope!

Kwiatkowski charges to the front immediately, Gilbert right next to him. I try to keep up as best as I can - a Top 10 would be fantastic at this point.

Jay is now also in the mix, but I can see that he's as empty as I am. Up front, Kwiatkowski is still in the lead, but Alaphilippe comes closer.

And he takes it! Again, Quick-Step takes first and third, only this time in reverse. What a week for them so far!

But what a week for me as well! I managed to grab Albasini's wheel and he pulled me all the way to a 10th spot. With a finish that is pretty much directly opposed to my strengths, this is all I could have hoped for. Jay finishes 12th to round out a great team performance.

Here we are, at the fourth monument of the season, the final race of the spring classics. La Doyenne, the oldest one-day-classic still being raced, one of the most prestigeous races there is in cycling, and one of the hardest. Many superlatives can be found for this race that is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, but it all comes down to this: Whoever wins in Liège will write his name in the history books of cycling forever.

The course is brutal: 257 kilometers long, and especially in the final third there's almost no flat road - it's either uphill or downhill! For tomorrow, you'll need everything, but if you're successful today, it will be very much worth the effort.

No changes in our team either. We're looking for another Top 10 here. The race should suit me more than the Flèche Wallonne, but it's been a long season so far for me, and I'll have to see how I'll be able to handle another 250 kilometers of hard racing.

This may be my first monument this season, but I've already ridden La Doyenne twice before - though to little success: 87th and 71st were my results. But the goal for today is not just to top that. I want another Top 10!

Not much had happened in the first 200 kilometers. Lukas Pöstlberger had made it to the group of the day and gave us some nice TV coverage, but they were caught relatively early.

Unfortunately, over one of the first tougher climbs, Jay had a moment of inattentiveness and lost contact to the main group. The pace at the front was too high and he wouldn't make it back, leaving me with only an exhausted Silvio Herklotz at my side.

The notion that LBL is not only the oldest, but possibly also the hardest one-day-race doesn't come from nothing. Riders are dropping left and right and I too am struggling to keep up with first group. Struggling, but not giving up just yet!

I am, however, nowhere near when Julien Alaphilippe goes on the attack. Valverde follows closely, Poels not so much.

At the bottom of the Cote de Saint-Nicolas, Poels has almost caught up with the two, and they have about half a minute on the peloton.

Although "peloton" may not be the right word for the 17 of us who are chasing the leaders. I'm well positioned, but I am also at the end of my rope.

And indeed, my Top 10 ambitions are gone as I have to let go near the top of the Cote.

Meanwhile, Valverde and Alaphilippe have shaken Poels, who must've paid for his chase. The two have almost a minute on the rest of the favorites and will fight for the win.

It's not that much of a fight though as Valverde takes the win with ease - his fourth win in total in Liège, only one away from Eddy Merckx now.

I have nothing left and eventually finish on a disappointing 16th place.

The race today was disappointing, no doubt. But that won't stop me from realizing that this first part of my season has been good! From steady results in the stage races to the fantastic classics, especially Paris - Camembert and the Amstel Gold Race, I've come really far this year.

I'll begin to race again in late May, but I'll have you covered with the April review, maybe some Giro footage or some training impressions until then. Let's see what I'll come up with!