Less hills than in the Amstel Gold Race but therefore longer climbs, that will surely suit the climbers better than the first Ardennes race.
After the shown performance Jan Bakelants must be named as top favourite in his home race.
But Frank Schleck definitely wants to show that he can perform better than in AGR.
Also Belgium champion Gilbert must be watched after his last win. But as pure puncheur it will be harder to win the Fleche Wallone.
Especially riders like Ricco, Spilak, Trofimov and Gesink will profit from the longer climbs as they combine great climbing skills with great puncheur qualities.
But surely you cannot forget all the other real puncheurs as they surely have chances here, too.
Kruopis attacks immediately after the start. He is followed by Colom, Reihs and Khalilikhosroshani.
More riders want to join. Vangheel Fuglsang
As also Zaugg Portal
Same picture than in the Amstel Gold Race. Vesuvio and Pearl doing a hell of a work to chase the breakaway. They are supported by Hagen`s B&O Team.
Surely they are not happy with so many teams in this group.
And after 15km they already catch the group again.
How could it be different. Immediately more attacks. McEvoy Zaugg Rodriguez Segarra
Followed by Sys R. Feillu
The wild card team Focused Cycling also attends to be active in this 2nd wave sending their strong French sprinter into this group.
3 more riders trying to bridge the gap. Mayo Portal Joly
The peloton seems to be not too unhappy with the riders and slows down a bit.
But the joy was too early. Lots of riders ride the next wave. some of them already tried earlier like Krupois, Fuglsang, Vangheel.
Muravyev, Wetterhall, Honkisz and Terciado complete the new group.
Bacardi`s Spaniard succeeded with his try in theAmstel Gold Race but with 2 big groups ahead now, it`s not very likely.
Pearl Adidas and B&O are not happy at all. Except of Vesuvio almost every favourite team has a man in the breakaway.
But while Vesuvio seems to have another tactic today, these two teams do everything to bring the group back.
And so the catch comes with 35km into the race. Luckily the first race third is pretty flat as the peloton is riding really quick.
Most of the former breakaway attack again. Obviously this can`t have success and so they are caught soon after. The peloton really needs some teams to relax the whole situation, otherwise we will get a new record time.
Pearl`s Walker leads the complete peloton over the first of 3 crosses on top of the Mur de Huy. No new attacks before this climb.
Two riders with the first attack after some time. R. Feillu again joined by Zingle
Surely two teams that could be allowed to get into the break.
Even bigger the surprise that they are not allowed to go and even after 15km they are still within 1min.
So more riders jump to the group after a 20km ride of this duo. Albasini Ardila Cano Ortega
Especially UPS` Swisse Co-leader is a dangerous rider and surely a nice tactical move by the team.
Vesuvio is still not working for Schleck. Obviously they are a bit disappointed how Schleck performed in the last classic.
Therefore Rodriguez` Nestle team is coming to the front supporting the two working teams. Obviously the Spaniard feels good today and is motivated after his great race in the Netherlands.
Next attacks by two good puncheurs. Paterski Chavanel
This is an interesting move by Vesuvio sending one of Schleck`s team mates into a mid-stage attack.
Chavanel already was in the first group around all favourites in AGR, so surely another dangerous rider.
Meanwhile Festina`s Ulissi punctures but without bigger problems to come back not spending too much energy. They surely hope for a better result today.
And with 83km to go the two later attackers join the breakaway, which has a 3'13 advance with some pretty decent puncheurs.
Nestle realizing that Rodriguez is surely not the biggest favourite and stopped their pace working. Therefore Spilak`s Warner Brother`s squad is coming to the front as also Bakelants best helpers in Kangert and Vastaranta.
60km -> 4'40
Entering the last 50km and surely the hardest part of this race the first splits appear.
While the big favourites are all safe in the first group some other leaders have problems.
Levarlet and Kasheckin are in a dangerous position at the end of the long stretched first group.
Ghisalberti, Diggle, Roy and Sicard missed the split and are in the 2nd group while Hoogerland and B.Feillu even are in the 3rd group.
So especially wildcard team Focus was not very attentive on this climb.
Pearl Adidas stopped their work but the pace is still fast as Bacardi immediately took over.
45km -> 4'00
And the next bad news for Focus. R.Feillu can`t follow the breakaway as he is surely not a kind of rider for the hilly classics.
And another split. These long climbs really prove to be selective. No big names but Focus` last rider is also falling back now. Morizot can`t follow the pace.
With 30km to go the 2nd climb of the Mur de Huy and the 6 riders are still working together very well.
Still B&O and also Pearl again are leading the pack over the line. With Warner Brothers stopping the pace obviously became slower again.
The advance is still 3'13 with Feillu being caught now.
The group sees their chance and Ortega and Ardila Cano attack with 18km to go. Maybe they should try to work together a bit longer instead of fighting each other.
But both of them are caught by the rest again.
Under the 10km banner Paterski, Chavanel and Albasini create a small gap to the rest of the break, while the peloton is also coming closer but still having a decent gap.
World Champion Van Garderen has enough of this tactic and attacks recognizing that the gap is not becoming smaller at the moment. Spilak Rodriguez Bakelants Anza, Van der Hugenhaben Sinkewitz Boasson Hagen
follow. Interesting that Trofimov sends both of his helpers instead of going by himself.
Weird tactic by B&O. Although Boasson Hagen is in the attacking group his luxury team mate Klemme is starting the next attacks. Ricco Samoilev Pozzato follow.
Several top favourites still behind.
Efimkin realizing that the group gets a pretty big gap and tries to follow.
He pulls some of the big favourites with him that obviously miscalculated the first attacks. Gesink Ulissi Schleck Gilbert
and Grivko, who was working the most for B&O. Strong performance by him today.
Trofimov and Schumacher still not attacking. Either a bad day or still the hope to save energy after the fusion?
Not to forget that the 6 breakaway riders are still ahead of all these attacks. Chavanel got rid of Albasini and Paterski and leads solo with just 5km to go. He already got a 31s gap to the next riders. Is this already the decision? Or can the favourites still bridge the gap?
Another 35s later the 3 former breakaway riders are just 23s ahead of Van Garderen and Boasson Hagen, who have a 15s gap to the next favourites.
Van Garderen and Boasson Hagen join the 3 breakaway riders but also teh next group is coming closer.
In this next group: Ricco Bakelants Spilak Sinkewitz Anza & Hugenhaben Klemme Rodriguez
but the next group around Schleck, Gilbert, Gesink and also Trofimov is directly behind this one.
Chavanel on the last kilometer and just on climb up the Mur for the third and last time. Does he still has enough energy?
Paterski and Albasini are not too far away and nothing to see from the big favourites, who obviously underestimated the group today.
Albasini proves to be the stronger and overtakes Paterski but Chavanel is out of reach.
Behind Van Garderen and Boasson Hagen still have a gap to the rest as also Zingle, Ortega and Ardila Cano, who look more exhausted obviously.
Hagen is fast, so is Ricco, who already caught the former breakaway riders pulling Spilak and Bakelants with him.
But nobody was able to stop Chavanel. The French celebrates his biggest career win taking an surprising Fleche Wallone triumph today.
Great win for Jack Wolfskin for sure.
Albasini taking the 2nd ahead of Paterski. Strange podium but surely not undeserved. Good results for both teams after Schumacher and Schleck couldn`t really come up to the expectations.
Again Van Garderen proves to be not the best sprinter and loses some places in the end as Ricco already overtakes him.
Boasson Hagen with a strong sprint could have celebrated his first Fleche Wallone win if there hadn`t been the breakaway. So he finishes still on a good 4th ahead of Ricco, Bakelants and Van Garderen.
Bakelants still has to wait for his first Ardennes win.
Spilak with another top10 finishes 8th ahead of the 2nd Jack Wolfskin rider Gesink and Trofimov, who had a great sprint in the end coming from behind.
Schleck and Gilbert side by side. Surely two of todays losers, but Vesuvio can`t be too unhappy with Paterski`s podium and Gilbert is too much a pure puncheur for this race obviously. 18th and 19th.
Even worse for Festina, who suffered the same pure puncheur problem obviously. Although both of them attacked in the final they lost many spots in the end. Pozzato`s 28th and Ulissi`s 31st is surely far behind the expectations and also Kashechkin obviously had a bad day as 26th, although he was expected to be better in this race as in the AGR.
