Welcome to Belgium and it's the 2nd of the Ardennes Classics we saw a big win for Attila Valter in Amstel who will win today!
Todays Profile
The organisers have taken the obvious stance of making Lopez favourite with Gidich and interestingly Skujins as the other top favourites for them and with the final climb looking increasingly hard it will be interesting to see what happens.
6 man in the break today and what is a long and painful ride with the course not particularly suited a break win.
Blanca Pareja Ferreira Martin Sheehan Van Wilder Van Gestel
, , and have the break well in control and although the gap goes over 5 minutes it never looks like the break will have a chance to stay away and as we come onto the 2nd last time up the Muur the gap is down to "1"30.
We have a huge group coming up the Muur now as you can see the pace has not been high throughout and we still have way over 100 riders in the peloton.
Blums hits the front hard on the last steep slope of the Muur as Gavars looks set to take over on the flat over the top Evonik are trying to keep the pack together and stop any of the favourites launching an early bid for glory.
pulls the breakaway back in on this shallow drag over the top they had a long day out in front of the cameras but now we have the real fight how long can keep this pace up!
20km to go and up a sharp Berg we see our first attacks Gesbert, Vansevenant
go but the bigger danger is in there wheels Areruya wants this to be a test for Lopez et al and he's going on the offensive early.
The break is caught by a storming Vansevenant who has cracked Higuita and Gesbert from the wheels Areruya looks strong as anyone though
have disappeared from the front and seem to have nothing left with and have taken over the pacing duties.
Areruya and Vansevenant press on Gesbert is now stuck in no mans land.
Mohoric and Lopez have taken up the pacing behind as the group starts to break apart all over.
Areruya goes again on the final Berg before the Mur de Huy he drops Vansevenant but the pack is so close behind Gidich is now the one taking a pull on the front of the pack
Areruya leads down the hill Vansevenant is chasing him hard and now Valter
and Schmid are having a go off the front to try and get across to the leaders.
Vansevenant is now back on and in the group behind Skujins and Lopez again! take turns to try and bring them back they know its now or never!
Polish champion Malecki gets on the front and puts in a huge turn to bring the group t the Gazelle team seems to be working for Lutsenko and that is a huge danger suddenly closed and a huge relief for the favourites in the group.
The huge pace this has caused means there are multiple gaps in the road and a group of around 25 will lead into the base of the Mur de Huy Formolo is the best placed of the favourites.
Gaudu has missed the move and Grieg chases hard behind as we come to the base of the Mur De Huy the most famous finish in the Ardennes who will tame the wall!
Romo takes it up early on and it's Lopez and Areruya marking Skujins is there with Ardila, Formolo and Gidich in the next line Mohoric and Lutsenko are the worst placed of the favourites
Lopez has a huge kick on the bend as Romo fades rapidly the Colombian is going for the hat-trick and hopefully he can avoid a puncture in the final 1km
Ardila and Gidich are the two making rapid progress through the group with Lutsenko. Areruya is also holding strong can anyone make the bridge.
Ardila is making a huge move he's the only danger to Lopez
as Gidich and Areruya fade on the last bank we will have a Colombian winner but will it be the Superstar or the Young Prospect
Lopez it's Lopez he does it !! 3 in a row what an achievement and a huge boost for his team they deserve some luck!
Ardila an incredible 2nd as they put a huge gap into those behind. Is this a missed opportunity or a learning experience for him he came from so far back in the group while his fellow countryman was always up there. Nevertheless the result of his career for now and he is only 25 he has 7 more years at his peak to challenge here!
Areruya is 3rd without the attacking efforts earlier it could have been different for him but he ushers in the era of the MO/HIL monsters with a podium clean sweep he is another rider with time on his side.
Gidich gallant in 4th while Lutsenko is the first pure puncheur in 5th.
Formolo in 6th huge result from him then another deserved ride Vansevenant
in 7th in the mass pile up for places Higuita, Valter
and Skujins
round out the top 10. Mohoric only 11th and De Bie 15th in the end
What a win by Lopez he was brave making the first move on the Mur and didn't crack when his flying countryman Ardila was coming from behind to take a famous 3rd successive win in Fleche Wallone. Can he carry this into Liege-Bastogne-Liege? We will find out to end the week.