A full field of riders ready to tackle Fleche Wallone [sic] in full enjoyment. Whether they feel the same when climbing the Mur de Huy is another question, but they have to do it three times whether they like it or not. At the end of the day at least one rider will have liked it as he wins the race.
Declerq, Benito and Ropero are the first three attackers.
Jansen makes it four and it would stay that way. They lead by three minutes with 180 kilometer to go.
The gap got to nearly six minutes before the chase started. Kuznetsov (Isostar), Belgasem (Evonik), Seigle (Air France), Warchol (Indosat), Boros (Moser), Marzuki (SPAR) and Eliad (Fablok) doing the early work. These teams think they have the winner on their squad.
And it's Benito who... doesn't win Fleche Wallone yet. The first of three passages on the Mur de Huy, 110 kilometer to go. The gap has gone down to 4'30 minutes with the same riders chasing. The race was reasonably flat so far, so no dropouts as of yet.
We now enter the hills properly with the Côte de Bohissau, 50 kilometer to go and a gap of three minutes. Bernard leading the peloton but look at the three Isostars, including Mohoric, coming to the front. They might be up to something on the next climb of the Mur de Huy.
McKenna leads the group for the second crossing, and no action there other than a few riders dropping off the back. Favorites now in position 10-20 ready for action. The breakaway leads by just over two minutes with 33 kilometer to go.
20k, Gidich and Marzuki pacing up Côte d'Amay, bringing the gap down to one minute. No favorite making a move, likely waiting for the final climb. Hagen in sixth position as foremost favorite, the others a bit further back.
The quartet is caught on the Côte de Villers-le-Bouillet. Le Roux and Frankiny lead the peloton which still counts about 130 riders. Only Mur de Huy left after this climb.
Ten kilometer to go, peloton now down to 100 after the climb led by Guerreiro. Moazemi and Barrio biggest names dropped. The favorites all together around position ten.
And so the riders are brought to the foot of the Mur in a big group. Lietaer worked for Hagen who now takes the lead. Behind him we find Mohoric, then some workers from Isostar and Evonik, and Sagan. The other favorites were not as awake turning up the hill, but have two kilometer to recover.
1.5 to go, Hagen leading while Mohoric is losing a bit of momentum. Ponzi on the other hand is gaining ground, trying to go around the outside. Sergis and Bekmanis in the middle but Skujins is nowhere to be found. Behind them are Sagan, Bakelants and Anuar Aziz. Other favorites who were positioned further back do not gain as much as they want on this steep climb.
Under the flag. Hagen, Mohoric and Ponzi have managed to separate themselves from the pack, Sagan and Bakelants battling to join them. Van Garderen and Koretzky have moved up into the top ten and pass the well-positioned helpers.
It is a grueling climb as the top five is back in the saddle, Sagan and Bakelants rejoining the leading trio. Van Garderen, Le Roux, Koretzky and Gastauer also getting clear from the pack.
500 meters, the toughest part is done but the remainder is by no means easy. Mohoric the front guy with Bakelants in the tricolore on his left, Ponzi and Hagen on his right, and Sagan behind. Gastauer and Van Garderen also in close contention. Lutsenko now releasing himself from the pack in pursuit of Koretzky and Le Roux.
Bakelants, Mohoric, Ponzi side-by-side as Hagen falls away and Sagan can't get past. Van Garderen and Gastauer come too late for a podium place.
Does this shot make it clear who won? No, of course not. It is millimeters between the three and we have to wait for official confirmation, not even the three riders involved know who won.
And as if that isn't enough, Hagen and Sagan with another inseparable finish for fourth.
Gastauer or Van Garderen for P6? You tell me, more work for the jury. I guess the first rider who knows his position for sure is Lutsenko, who had a strong final few meters to take eighth place.
Koretzky and Le Roux complete the top ten, a close finish but it is not necessary to add another photo finish to the to-do list of the jury.
Chernetskiy eleventh leading out the main group. Boswell 12th, Lane 13th, McCarthy 14th, Ginanni 15th, De Bie 16th, Bobridge 17th, Ulissi 18th, Buchmann 19th, Gerts 20th. Surely some disappointments there.
Skujins only 23rd, his Evonik teammates who looked promising at one point also fell down the order quite hard.
And we have confirmation of the final result:
Jan Bakelants becomes the first Belgian winner of Fleche Wallone, edging out Simone Ponzi and Matej Mohoric by millimeters. The Italian takes second place, the Slovenian third. Sagan finished ahead of Hagen for fourth while Van Garderen was determined to have crossed the line before Gastauer. That is the final verdict of the race jury, res judicata.
