|
Fleche Wallone Discussion
|
| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 05-02-2021 12:13
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 12681
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1961.50
|
We're bang in the middle Ardennes week and the best punchers of the cycling world have made the trip to Charleroi for Fleche Wallone, which will take them just under 200 kilometers to Huy and a finish on top of the famed Muur de Huy. The distance of the race should not mean stamina comes into play too much, but the profile is anything bit relaxing!
After the first third of the race, and from the time they hit the Muur for the first of three ascents, there are hardly any flat roads for the riders to relax on, besides a short flat section leading up to the Muur for the second time. There are ample opportunities for attacks in the closing stages for any rider not wishing to take the race to a drag race up the Muur to the finish.
A star-studded startlist includes former champions Ponzi, Boasson Hagen and defending champion Bakelants. Ponzi has the opportunity to become the first ever three time winner of the race, while the other two can join the UBS leader and Ginnani on two wins if either are successful this time. Lusenko won a few days back in the Amstel Gold Race. Can he do it again? Let's take an in-depth look at the contenders next.
| MON | HIL | STA | RES | SPR | ACC |  De Bie | 71 | 84 | 77 | 76 | 72 | 75 |  Kinoshita | 72 | 83 | 80 | 77 | 68 | 77 |  Lopez | 79 | 82 | 76 | 74 | 66 | 78 |  Sagan | 74 | 83 | 78 | 74 | 73 | 76 |  Hagen | 69 | 84 | 80 | 73 | 72 | 78 |  Lutsenko | 73 | 83 | 76 | 73 | 72 | 81 | | Skujins | 70 | 83 | 80 | 77 | 68 | 76 |  Ponzi | 72 | 83 | 76 | 71 | 75 | 79 |  Mohoric | 71 | 83 | 78 | 72 | 67 | 77 |  Van Garderen | 72 | 82 | 78 | 75 | 70 | 79 |  Bakelants | 73 | 82 | 78 | 75 | 71 | 75 |  Bobridge | 69 | 83 | 74 | 74 | 69 | 80 |  Kwiatkowski | 78 | 81 | 74 | 76 | 67 | 75 |  Formolo | 79 | 79 | 76 | 76 | 69 | 71 |  Koretzky | 71 | 81 | 77 | 70 | 71 | 79 |  McCarthy | 67 | 81 | 80 | 75 | 65 | 74 |  Schreurs | 69 | 81 | 76 | 72 | 71 | 74 | | Gastauer | 70 | 81 | 77 | 69 | 66 | 75 |  Boswell | 71 | 80 | 77 | 73 | 65 | 76 |  Jensen | 70 | 80 | 77 | 73 | 66 | 76 |  Vakoc | 71 | 80 | 75 | 71 | 71 | 74 |
With his gains off-season, De Bie starts as the top favourite for this race, at least on paper. He hasn't had a particularly good season so far and will be looking to improve hence.
Another rider who carries his team's survival hopes is Kinoshita, who is also very well suited to a race like this. While he has done relatively better, he needs to continue to show the kind of form that he did last season to keep his team's momentum going in their first ever PT season.
Lopez will be looking to justify his newly acquired superstar status, and to be honest, just to continue the good vein of form he's been in this season. His team have not particularly enjoyed this race with a best of 6th in 2017 and 2018. Lopez will be looking to improve on that stat.
Always dependable and always one for a stupendous performance, Sagan will look to continue his good run in this race, having finished in the Top 5 in four of the past five seasons, with a bets of 3rd. He will be hoping to improve on the latter stat too, one assumes.
2013 winner Boasson Hagen is still riding at his peak and still one of the top contenders for the win in this race. He has had a decent season so far but would like to reach the heights of the past couple of season again.
Lutsenko, Skuijns, Ponzi, Mohoric and Bobridge are similarly strong as a puncher. Ponzi been in excellent form and will be looking to put his name on the winner's list for a third time, as already mentioned earlier in the preview. His sprint and acceleration skills make him a huge favourite if the race comes down to a sprint up the Muur. Lutsenko and
Bobridge are two riders who can reach their top-speed faster than the UBS man. Skiujns and Mohoric will depend more on their energy stats to get an advantage over their rivals.
It is incredible to find Van Garderen and defending champion Bakelants this low in the favourites' list but this just goes to show the quality of startlist that will be in attendance.
Much like Lopez, Kwiatkowski and Formolo are the other riders who will combine puncher skills with better climbing abilities. Kwiatkowski comes off the back of success in GP Wallonie and will be looking to continue that form in this region. Formolo has not had the best season so far, so this could prove to be a kickstart that he and his team need.
The likes of Koretzky, McCarthy, Schreurs, Gastauer, Boswell, Jensen and Vakoc are more likely to be Top 10 contenders, but Koretzky in particular, has already shown that he can challenge the top guns this season. Schreurs is part of wildcard team GCN. McCarthy, Boswell and Vakoc have a lot of room for improvement in their results this season. Gastauer could either be Vesuvio's second option or could be asked to ride for his team leader instead.
Spoiler | Last Name | First Name | Team | | De Bie | Sean | Aegon - Peroni | | Zardini | Edoardo | Aegon - Peroni | | Vliegen | Loic | Aegon - Peroni | | Carboni | Giovanni | Aegon - Peroni | | Stuyven | Jasper | Aegon - Peroni | | Ballerini | Davide | Aegon - Peroni | | Van Hooydonck | Nathan | Aegon - Peroni | | van der Hoorn | Taco | Aegon - Peroni | | Hagen | Edvald Boasson | Air France - KLM | | Gaudu | David | Air France - KLM | | Lietaer | Eliot | Air France - KLM | | Paez | Andres | Air France - KLM | | Edet | Nicolas | Air France - KLM | | Ludvigsson | Fredrik | Air France - KLM | | van Zyl | Johann | Air France - KLM | | Vanendert | Jelle | Air France - KLM | | Kwiatkowski | Michal | Aker - MOT | | Amezawa | Takeaki | Aker - MOT | | Aranburu | Alex | Aker - MOT | | Freuler | Jan-Andre | Aker - MOT | | Sosa | Ivan | Aker - MOT | | Siriwardena | Kashyapa | Aker - MOT | | Pruus | Peter | Aker - MOT | | Larsen | Niklas | Aker - MOT | | Bobridge | Jack | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | Lane | Patrick | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | Hamilton | Chris | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | McCormick | Hayden | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | Bayly | Cameron | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | Phelan | Adam | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | Harper | Chris | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | O'Connor | Ben | Bennelong - Mitchelton | | McCarthy | Jay | cycleYorkshire | | Bellis | Jonathan | cycleYorkshire | | Skaarseth | Anders | cycleYorkshire | | Crncevic | Aleksa | cycleYorkshire | | Ford | William | cycleYorkshire | | Tennant | Andrew | cycleYorkshire | | Boudat | Thomas | cycleYorkshire | | Stannard | Ian | cycleYorkshire | | Van Garderen | Tejay | EA Vesuvio | | Gastauer | Ben | EA Vesuvio | | Smit | Willie | EA Vesuvio | | Fritsch | Sven | EA Vesuvio | | Gesbert | Elie | EA Vesuvio | | Reimer | Martin | EA Vesuvio | | Geniets | Kevin | EA Vesuvio | | Pelikan | Janos | EA Vesuvio | | Boswell | Ian | eBuddy | | Gerts | Floris | eBuddy | | Lammertink | Maurits | eBuddy | | Kaczmarek | Jakub | eBuddy | | Hofstede | Lennard | eBuddy | | Conti | Valerio | eBuddy | | Tolhoek | Antwan | eBuddy | | Vermeltfoort | Coen | eBuddy | | Lopez | Miguel Angel | Evonik - ELKO | | Skujins | Toms | Evonik - ELKO | | Sergis | Kaspars | Evonik - ELKO | | Mas | Enric | Evonik - ELKO | | Blums | Martins | Evonik - ELKO | | Sakalou | Andrei | Evonik - ELKO | | Becis | Armands | Evonik - ELKO | | Liepins | Emils | Evonik - ELKO | | Koretzky | Clement | Festina - OAKA | | Budyak | Anatoliy | Festina - OAKA | | Kastrantas | Charalampas | Festina - OAKA | | Spanopoulos | Ioannis | Festina - OAKA | | Miltiadis | Andreas | Festina - OAKA | | Giannoutsos | Miltiadis | Festina - OAKA | | Kiriakidis | Ioannidis | Festina - OAKA | | Osorio | Juan | Festina - OAKA | | Formolo | Davide | Gazelle | | Tratnik | Jan | Gazelle | | Vysna | Matej | Gazelle | | Furdi | Blaz | Gazelle | | Konrad | Patrick | Gazelle | | Hofland | Moreno | Gazelle | | Senyenov | Roman | Gazelle | | Potts | Marc | Gazelle | | Schreurs | Maurice | GCN Racing | | Dowsett | Alex | GCN Racing | | Landa | Mikel | GCN Racing | | Nzeke | Geremie | GCN Racing | | Hategeka | Gasore | GCN Racing | | Cuming | Michael | GCN Racing | | Pantano Gomez | Jarlinson | GCN Racing | | Potocki | Pavel | GCN Racing | | Talansky | Andrew | Generali | | Teuns | Dylan | Generali | | Masnada | Fausto | Generali | | Rosskopf | Joey | Generali | | Sequera | Pedro | Generali | | Rodrigues | Joao | Generali | | Bouchard | Geoffrey | Generali | | Lastra | Jonathan | Grieg-Maersk | | Serrano | Gonzalo | Grieg-Maersk | | Grossschartner | Felix | Grieg-Maersk | | Gillett | Rhys | Grieg-Maersk | | Jansen | Amund Grondahl | Grieg-Maersk | | Hofstetter | Hugo | Grieg-Maersk | | Ringheim | Jo Kogstad | Grieg-Maersk | | Stokbro | Andreas | Grieg-Maersk | | Bakelants | Jan | Indosat Ooredoo | | Le Roux | Romain | Indosat Ooredoo | | Elissonde | Kenny | Indosat Ooredoo | | De Souza | Christopher | Indosat Ooredoo | | Luchshenko | Sergey | Indosat Ooredoo | | Setiawa | Andreas Odie Purnama | Indosat Ooredoo | | Xandri | Jan | Indosat Ooredoo | | Bolor-Erdene | Enkhtaivan | Indosat Ooredoo | | Vakoc | Petr | ISA - Hexacta | | Sepulveda | Eduardo | ISA - Hexacta | | Zakarin | Ilnur | ISA - Hexacta | | Ji | Jianhua | ISA - Hexacta | | Koshevoy | Ilia | ISA - Hexacta | | Restrepo | Jhonatan | ISA - Hexacta | | Juarez | Daniel | ISA - Hexacta | | Feng | Chun Kai | ISA - Hexacta | | Mohoric | Matej | Isostar - Specialized | | Roglic | Primoz | Isostar - Specialized | | Calmejane | Lilian | Isostar - Specialized | | Bugge | Vegard Robinson | Isostar - Specialized | | Peters | Nans | Isostar - Specialized | | Tarvis | Peeter | Isostar - Specialized | | Gabburo | Davide | Isostar - Specialized | | Jans | Roy | Isostar - Specialized | | Lutsenko | Alexey | King Power | | Gidich | Yevgeniy | King Power | | Azman | Muhamad Zawawi | King Power | | Sirironnachai | Sarawut | King Power | | Boonratanathanakorn | Thurakit | King Power | | Quita | Ronnilan | King Power | | Mano | Yuttana | King Power | | Fung | Ka Hoo | King Power | | De Plus | Laurens | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Oomen | Sam | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Senni | Manuel | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Skjerping | Kristoffer | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Fedeli | Alessandro | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Gamper | Patrick | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Sajnok | Szymon | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Dewulf | Stan | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Sagan | Peter | Moser - Sygic | | Schlegel | Michal | Moser - Sygic | | McKenna | Sean | Moser - Sygic | | Schönberger | Sebastian | Moser - Sygic | | Cerny | Josef | Moser - Sygic | | Hosek | Josef | Moser - Sygic | | Polnicky | Jiri | Moser - Sygic | | Boros | Michael | Moser - Sygic | | Kinoshita | Tomohiro | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Serry | Pieter | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Kratochvila | Jakub | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Shirota | Yamato | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Hatsuyama | Sho | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Silva | Rafael | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Brozyna | Piotr | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Onodera | Rei | Rakuten Pro Cycling | | Mager | Christian | Team Puma - SAP | | Egger | Mike Aaron | Team Puma - SAP | | Helme | Sasu | Team Puma - SAP | | Doubey | Fabien | Team Puma - SAP | | Niu | Yikui | Team Puma - SAP | | Bevin | Patrick | Team Puma - SAP | | Madouas | Valentin | Team Puma - SAP | | Declerq | Tim | Team Puma - SAP | | Chernetskiy | Sergey | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Vogt | Mario | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Trakhov | Dmitry | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Strakhov | Dmitry | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Vlasov | Alexander | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Kolesnikov | Sergei | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Sulimov | Alexander | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Senechal | Florian | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Ponzi | Simone | Team UBS | | Reichenbach | Sebastien | Team UBS | | Müller | Patrick | Team UBS | | Badilatti | Matteo | Team UBS | | Vincent | Leo | Team UBS | | Fumeaux | Jonathan | Team UBS | | Ramos Ticona | Basilio | Team UBS | | Schir | Thery | Team UBS | | Jensen | Kristian Haugaard | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Blikra | Havard | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Eriksson | Lucas | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Asgreen | Kasper | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Vendrame | Andrea | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Beukeboom | Dion | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Tanfield | Harry | Volvo acc. by Spotify | | Haugard | Phan Age | Volvo acc. by Spotify |
|
| |
|
|
| Ollfardh |
Posted on 05-02-2021 12:20
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15025
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 11500.00
|
So we bring our best team to a wildcard race for once and still not make the preview. Good thing there aren't any points here then 
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
|
| |
|
|
| Croatia14 |
Posted on 05-02-2021 12:33
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9137
Joined: 13-03-2013
PCM$: 2100.00
|
I'm begging you Matej don't fuck up. |
| |
|
|
| knockout |
Posted on 05-02-2021 12:45
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8236
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 500.00
|
Skujins alone was capable of finishing 2nd in Amstel, lets see how much worse i end up scoring when sending both Skujins and Lopez
Expectations are huge, will be hard to satisfy them
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
| |
|
|
| matt17br |
Posted on 05-02-2021 13:33
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 10519
Joined: 28-09-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Maybe Teuns and Talansky can get a top 80 here
|
| |
|
|
| Croatia14 |
Posted on 05-02-2021 13:34
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9137
Joined: 13-03-2013
PCM$: 2100.00
|
knockout wrote:
Skujins alone was capable of finishing 2nd in Amstel, lets see how much worse i end up scoring when sending both Skujins and Lopez
If I remember what Spilak and Mohoric did together I can only pray for you...
|
| |
|
|
| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 05-02-2021 13:48
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
Joined: 20-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Top 10 will be hard again. But let's at least get our positioning right this time, Davide.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 05-02-2021 14:09
|
World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Given how poorly Koretzky did in Amstel I'm not eager to get my expectations up tbh. Fingers crossed that he isn't as crap again.
|
| |
|
|
| tastasol |
Posted on 05-02-2021 14:31
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3030
Joined: 11-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Break pleeeeeease.
|
| |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 05-02-2021 15:08
|
World Champion
Posts: 13561
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
There's no reason for us to actually race here. Just remove the 10th place from the rankings, give it to Gerts and we'll go our way.
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 06-12-2025 21:59
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| roturn |
Posted on 05-02-2021 15:19
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
Next try.
A win or a podium is wanted. |
| |
|
|
| Bikex |
Posted on 05-02-2021 15:55
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7385
Joined: 25-08-2012
PCM$: 600.00
|
AGR was of the three races already the most suiting to Lutsenko's strengths. Luckily he won that one, so less pressure for the coming two. I'd be happy if he'd improve on his performances from last year where he just barely got into the top 10 here and in LBL.
Kwiatkowski is my tip for the win.
Thanks for the preview Abhishek! |
| |
|
|
| valverde321 |
Posted on 05-02-2021 16:24
|
World Champion
Posts: 12429
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
|
Pls Kinoshita, you're my only hope.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 06-02-2021 15:51
|
World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Mr. All-over-the-place gets himself a new career highlight! What a result Koretzky! Way to shut your managers mouth!
|
| |
|
|
| knockout |
Posted on 06-02-2021 15:52
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8236
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 500.00
|
3rd place by Skujins is great. Hard to see why Lopez was so disappointing. Maybe he was the one to keep the Ponzi-Lutsenko-Kinoshita-Koretzky move in reach so that Skujins could bridge over later but not sure about that. Dropping all the way to 39th is at least very disappointing.
Good report but can you please add a picture of the ingame startlist for future reports? Would help a lot to figure out who exactly is doing the chasing when it is not obvious who gets the x1 bib...
Spoiler Example:
I'd like to check which of my riders is #35. Could either be Mas or Lopez depending on which of my two leaders got the 31. Since 31 being Lopez would mean that Skujins is badly positioned which doesnt fit too well with what happened afterwards (also Mas would have dropped too extremely), I'd assume it's Lopez doing the chasing which would explain why he was so exhausted.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
| |
|
|
| roturn |
Posted on 06-02-2021 15:58
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
Not sure what is less good. 6th only by De Bie, when I really am in need of bigger points or that there were no depth points here really with just two more between 50th and 100th and Zardini outside the top100 even.
That`s 3 classics in a row now this last couple days, where De Bie fails to even enter the top5.
Clearly going to be a long season against relegation.
Congrats valv! Much needed result there from Kinoshita. |
| |
|
|
| Croatia14 |
Posted on 06-02-2021 16:00
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9137
Joined: 13-03-2013
PCM$: 2100.00
|
Not the best of results, but better than before. |
| |
|
|
| cio93 |
Posted on 06-02-2021 16:52
|
World Champion
Posts: 10616
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
|
I have no idea how Declerq finishes higher here than in basically all cobbled races this season (I'm not in the mood to look up his exact results), but I guess I'll take it?
5 extra points is good enough considering our lineup here, and Madouas in 72nd is actually a nice sign for the future too, continuing to show good form after his surprise result in AGR.
Congrats valv! Lovely to see a local leader perform for his team like this. 
Koretzky showing up for SotD is also nice to see.
|
| |
|
|
| tsmoha |
Posted on 06-02-2021 19:37
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11786
Joined: 19-07-2010
PCM$: 300.00
|
Tough competition. Just hoping for a Top-10 for Bobridge then.
|
| |
|
|
| matt17br |
Posted on 06-02-2021 20:08
|
Directeur Sportif
Posts: 10519
Joined: 28-09-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
tsmoha wrote:
Tough competition. Just hoping for a Top-10 for Bobridge then.
Boy, do I have news for you
On another note, almost two riders in the top 40 absolutely smashes my top 80 expectations!
|
| |
|
