2018 La Flèche Wallonne (World Tour)
82nd edition: Wednesday, April 18, 2018
La Flèche Wallonne podium history | 2017 edition | 2019 edition | Course map & profile | Race pictures | Start list
Seraing - Huy, 198.5 km
Julian Alaphilippe wins in Huy. Sirotti photo
Weather at the finish town of Huy at 2:00 PM, local time: 23C (73F), sunny with the wind from the ESE at 6 km/hr (4 mph). It will eventually climb to 25C (79F) and no rain is forecast.
The race: Here's the organizer's race summary.
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won’t make it five wins in a row atop the Mur de Huy! The Spanish veteran found a young rival finally able to overthrow him with Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) dominating everyone in the infamous climb. The Frenchman claims his biggest win to date with just before turning 26 years old… the same age Valverde was when he claimed the first of his nine victories in the Ardennes (5 at la Flèche, 4 at Liège). Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Soudal) finishes third after an impressive outing on the Mur.
After an emotional moment of silence to pay tribute to Michael Goolaerts, Seraing enjoyed an animated start as the city welcomed la Flèche wallonne for the first time in the race history. Attacks went from the gun and a group of six riders - Romain Hardy (Fortuneo-Samsic), Anthony Roux (Groupama-FDJ), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Hansgrohe), Anthony Perez (Cofidis), Romain Combaud (Delko Marseille Provence KTM) and Patrick Müller (Vital Concept Cycling Club) - quickly got away. Kevin Van Melsen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Antoine Warnier (VB Aqua Protect Veranclassic) joined them after 20km. The group enjoyed a maximum lead of 5’25” as they tackled the first climb.
Alejandro Valverde’s Movistar and Dan Martin’s UAE Team Emirates quickly took the front positions of the pack to control the gap. The attackers’ lead was down to 4’10” atop the côte de la Redoute (km 82). The peloton maintained the gap around 4 minutes before accelerating on the way to Huy. The leaders summited the Mur for the first time this Wednesday (km 140.5) with an advantage down to 1’25”, with Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) already featuring early moves.
The Polish puncheur couldn’t get away from Movistar’s watch but attacks kept going until a group of six managed to go clear 37km away from the finish: Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott), Anthony Roux (Groupama-FDJ), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Hansgrohe), Tanel Kangert (Astana) and Maximilian Schachmann (Quick-Step Floors). Together, they extended their lead to 40” as they faced the Mur de Huy for the penultimate and second climb while Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) dropped out of contention.
The gap even increased to 55” with 17km to go, until Mikel Landa (Movistar) received some help with Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal). Roux and Benedetti got dropped in the Côte de Cherave while the peloton got back only 15” behind. Kangert and Nibali were caught at the foot of the final climb, while Maximilian Schachmann (Quick-Step Floors) went on his own, only to be caught with 200m to go by… his teammate Julian Alaphilippe, stronger than anyone on the Mur de Huy.
Complete Results:
198.5 kilometers raced at an average speed of 40.563 km/hr
| 1 | JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE | QUICK-STEP FLOORS | 4hr 53min 37sec |
| 2 | ALEJANDRO VALVERDE | MOVISTAR | @ 4sec |
| 3 | JELLE VANENDERT | LOTTO-SOUDAL | + 00' 06'' |
| 4 | ROMAN KREUZIGER | MITCHELTON-SCOTT | s.t. |
| 5 | MICHAEL MATTHEWS | TEAM SUNWEB | s.t. |
| 6 | BAUKE MOLLEMA | TREK-SEGAFREDO | s.t. |
| 7 | TIM WELLENS | LOTTO-SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 8 | MAXIMILIAN SCHACHMANN | QUICK-STEP FLOORS | s.t. |
| 9 | ROMAIN BARDET | AG2R LA MONDIALE | s.t. |
| 10 | PATRICK KONRAD | BORA-HANSGROHE | + 00' 12'' |
| 11 | SERGIO LUIS HENAO | SKY | + 00' 15'' |
| 12 | TOM-JELTE SLAGTER | DIMENSION DATA | + 00' 19'' |
| 13 | RUDY MOLARD | GROUPAMA-FDJ | + 00' 21'' |
| 14 | DIEGO ULISSI | UAE-TEAM EMIRATES | + 00' 25'' |
| 15 | ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ | AG2R LA MONDIALE | + 00' 28'' |
| 16 | JAKOB FUGLSANG | ASTANA | s.t. |
| 17 | SERGE PAUWELS | DIMENSION DATA | s.t. |
| 18 | ILNUR ZAKARIN | KATUSHA-ALPECIN | + 00' 30'' |
| 19 | RUI ALBERTO FARIA | UAE-TEAM EMIRATES | + 00' 32'' |
| 20 | ROBERT GESINK | LOTTO NL-JUMBO | + 00' 34'' |
| 21 | JAY MCCARTHY | BORA-HANSGROHE | + 00' 36'' |
| 22 | PIETER SERRY | QUICK-STEP FLOORS | + 00' 39'' |
| 23 | JESUS HERRADA | COFIDIS | s.t. |
| 24 | PHILIPPE GILBERT | QUICK-STEP FLOORS | + 00' 42'' |
| 25 | NICOLAS EDET | COFIDIS | + 00' 44'' |
| 26 | EMANUEL BUCHMANN | BORA-HANSGROHE | + 00' 47'' |
| 27 | ENRICO GASPAROTTO | BAHRAIN-MERIDA | + 00' 49'' |
| 28 | RIGOBERTO URAN | EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | + 00' 54'' |
| 29 | STEFF CRAS | KATUSHA-ALPECIN | + 01' 05'' |
| 30 | DYLAN TEUNS | BMC | + 01' 08'' |
| 31 | SAM OOMEN | TEAM SUNWEB | + 01' 13'' |
| 32 | ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI | BMC | + 01' 18'' |
| 33 | MICHAEL WOODS | EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | + 01' 22'' |
| 34 | JACK HAIG | MITCHELTON-SCOTT | s.t. |
| 35 | MATHIAS FRANK | AG2R LA MONDIALE | + 01' 25'' |
| 36 | ANTHONY ROUX | GROUPAMA-FDJ | + 01' 27'' |
| 37 | CESARE BENEDETTI | BORA-HANSGROHE | + 01' 29'' |
| 38 | GORKA IZAGIRRE | BAHRAIN-MERIDA | + 01' 34'' |
| 39 | TSGABU GRMAY | TREK-SEGAFREDO | + 01' 43'' |
| 40 | TANEL KANGERT | ASTANA | + 01' 46'' |
| 41 | BOB JUNGELS | QUICK-STEP FLOORS | + 01' 55'' |
| 42 | MIKEL LANDA MEANA | MOVISTAR | + 01' 59'' |
| 43 | VINCENZO NIBALI | BAHRAIN-MERIDA | + 02' 13'' |
| 44 | DANIEL FELIPE MARTINEZ | EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | + 02' 23'' |
| 45 | WARREN BARGUIL | FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | + 02' 23'' |
| 46 | FLORIS DE TIER | LOTTO NL-JUMBO | + 02' 51'' |
| 47 | OMAR FRAILE MATARRANZ | ASTANA | + 03' 01'' |
| 48 | PIERRE ROLLAND | EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | + 03' 06'' |
| 49 | LAURENS TEN DAM | TEAM SUNWEB | + 03' 07'' |
| 50 | MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN | ASTANA | s.t. |
| 51 | ROB POWER | MITCHELTON-SCOTT | + 03' 27'' |
| 52 | TIESJ BENOOT | LOTTO-SOUDAL | + 03' 56'' |
| 53 | AMANUEL GHEBREIGZABHIER | DIMENSION DATA | + 04' 03'' |
| 54 | DAMIEN HOWSON | MITCHELTON-SCOTT | + 04' 12'' |
| 55 | HERMANN PERNSTEINER | BAHRAIN-MERIDA | + 05' 37'' |
| 56 | MAURO FINETTO | DELKO-MARSEILLE PROVENCE | + 07' 32'' |
| 57 | MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI | SKY | + 07' 37'' |
| 58 | THOMAS SPRENGERS | SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE | + 09' 23'' |
| 59 | ANDREY GRIVKO | ASTANA | + 09' 29'' |
| 60 | CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON | TEAM SUNWEB | + 09' 37'' |
| 61 | DANIEL MARTIN | UAE-TEAM EMIRATES | s.t. |
| 62 | DANIEL NAVARRO | COFIDIS | s.t. |
| 63 | STEVEN KRUIJSWIJK | LOTTO NL-JUMBO | s.t. |
| 64 | WOUT POELS | SKY | s.t. |
| 65 | TOSH VAN DER SANDE | LOTTO-SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 66 | XANDRO MEURISSE | WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 67 | ELIE GESBERT | FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | s.t. |
| 68 | SIMON GESCHKE | TEAM SUNWEB | s.t. |
| 69 | ROBERT KISERLOVSKI | KATUSHA-ALPECIN | s.t. |
| 70 | AXEL DOMONT | AG2R LA MONDIALE | + 09' 45'' |
| 71 | BJORG LAMBRECHT | LOTTO-SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 72 | FABIEN DOUBEY | WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 73 | MICHAEL GOGL | TREK-SEGAFREDO | s.t. |
| 74 | WILLEM JAKOBUS SMIT | KATUSHA-ALPECIN | s.t. |
| 75 | ROMAIN SEIGLE | GROUPAMA-FDJ | + 09' 52'' |
| 76 | DARIO CATALDO | ASTANA | s.t. |
| 77 | THOMAS DEGAND | WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 78 | MAXIME MONFORT | LOTTO-SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 79 | TAO GEOGHEGAN-HART | SKY | + 09' 56'' |
| 80 | ALBERTO BETTIOL | BMC | + 10' 02'' |
| 81 | MANUELE MORI | UAE-TEAM EMIRATES | s.t. |
| 82 | CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN | MITCHELTON-SCOTT | s.t. |
| 83 | KEVIN REZA | VITAL CONCEPT | s.t. |
| 84 | PAUL MARTENS | LOTTO NL-JUMBO | s.t. |
| 85 | ANDREA PASQUALON | WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 86 | SIMON GERRANS | BMC | s.t. |
| 87 | JOSÉ ROJAS | MOVISTAR | s.t. |
| 88 | ALEX HOWES | EF EDUCATION FIRST-DRAPAC | s.t. |
| 89 | BEN GASTAUER | AG2R LA MONDIALE | + 10' 17'' |
| 90 | RAFAL MAJKA | BORA-HANSGROHE | + 10' 21'' |
| 91 | TOMASZ MARCZYNSKI | LOTTO-SOUDAL | s.t. |
| 92 | ALEKSANDR RIABUSHENKO | UAE-TEAM EMIRATES | s.t. |
| 93 | GUILLAUME MARTIN | WANTY-GROUPE GOBERT | s.t. |
| 94 | CHAD HAGA | TEAM SUNWEB | s.t. |
| 95 | STEF CLEMENT | LOTTO NL-JUMBO | s.t. |
| 96 | FRANCO PELLIZOTTI | BAHRAIN-MERIDA | + 10' 27'' |
| 97 | BENOIT VAUGRENARD | GROUPAMA-FDJ | s.t. |
| 98 | JOSE HERRADA LOPEZ | COFIDIS | + 10' 31'' |
| 99 | ANTHONY PEREZ | COFIDIS | s.t. |
| 100 | AMAEL MOINARD | FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | s.t. |
| 101 | JON IZAGIRRE | BAHRAIN-MERIDA | + 10' 44'' |
| 102 | ROMAIN HARDY | FORTUNEO-SAMSIC | + 11' 15'' |
| 103 | MAURITS LAMMERTINK | KATUSHA-ALPECIN | + 11' 18'' |
| 104 | TOMS SKUJINS | TREK-SEGAFREDO | + 11' 52'' |
| 105 | KEVIN DELTOMBE | SPORT VLAANDEREN-BALOISE | + 12' 54'' |
| 106 | JULIEN MORTIER | WB-AQUA PROTECT-VERANCLASSIC | s.t. |
| 107 | STEPHEN CUMMINGS | DIMENSION DATA | + 13' 06'' |
2018 Flèche Wallonne map
2018 Flèche Wallonne profile
Race pictures by Fotoreporter Sirotti:
Looks like a nice day for a bike race in Belgium
Another panoramic shot of the peloton.
Imanol Erviti leads on the Cote De La Vecquée
Spanish champion Jesus Herrada
The pros ride so close together.
Julian Alaphilippe drives for the line.
And the race is his.
Alejandro Valverde is second this year.
Jelle Vanendert (Lotto-Soudal) beats Roman Kreuziger for third.
Philippe Gilbert was 24th.
Jesus Herrada just after the race.
The podium, from left: Jelle Vanendert (3rd), Julian Alaphilippe & Alejandro Valverde (2nd)
Start list with backnumbers, April 17, 2018:
| MOVISTAR TEAM | |
| 1 | ALEJANDRO VALVERDE |
| 2 | ANDREY AMADOR |
| 3 | WINNER ANDREW ANACONA |
| 4 | CARLOS ALBERTO BETANCUR |
| 5 | IMANOL ERVITI |
| 6 | MIKEL LANDA |
| 7 | JOSÉ ROJAS |
| UAE TEAM EMIRATES | |
| 11 | DANIEL MARTIN |
| 12 | MATTEO BONO |
| 13 | RUI ALBERTO FARIA DA COSTA |
| 14 | MANUELE MORI |
| 15 | ALEKSANDR RIABUSHENKO |
| 16 | RORY SUTHERLAND |
| 17 | DIEGO ULISSI |
| BMC RACING TEAM | |
| 21 | DYLAN TEUNS |
| 22 | LOÏC VLIEGEN |
| 23 | ALBERTO BETTIOL |
| 24 | DAMIANO CARUSO |
| 25 | ALESSANDRO DE MARCHI |
| 26 | KILIAN FRANKINY |
| 27 | SIMON GERRANS |
| TEAM SKY | |
| 31 | SERGIO LUIS HENAO |
| 32 | MICHAL GOLAS |
| 33 | LUKASZ WISNIOWSKI |
| 34 | TAO GEOGHEGAN-HART |
| 35 | VASILI KIRYIENKA |
| 36 | MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI |
| 37 | WOUT POELS |
| MITCHELTON - SCOTT | |
| 41 | MICHAEL ALBASINI |
| 42 | JACK HAIG |
| 43 | LUCAS HAMILTON |
| 44 | DAMIEN HOWSON |
| 45 | CHRISTOPHER JUUL-JENSEN |
| 46 | ROMAN KREUZIGER |
| 47 | ROB POWER |
| TEAM FORTUNEO - SAMSIC | |
| 51 | WARREN BARGUIL |
| 52 | FRANCK BONNAMOUR |
| 53 | ELIE GESBERT |
| 54 | ROMAIN HARDY |
| 55 | KEVIN LEDANOIS |
| 56 | AMAEL MOINARD |
| 57 | FLORIAN VACHON |
| GROUPAMA - FDJ | |
| 61 | DAVID GAUDU |
| 62 | VALENTIN MADOUAS |
| 63 | RUDY MOLARD |
| 64 | ANTHONY ROUX |
| 65 | ROMAIN SEIGLE |
| 66 | BENOIT VAUGRENARD |
| 67 | LÉO VINCENT |
| EF EDUCATION FIRST - DRAPAC | |
| 71 | RIGOBERTO URAN |
| 72 | LAWSON CRADDOCK |
| 73 | ALEX HOWES |
| 74 | DANIEL FELIPE MARTINEZ |
| 75 | KIM MAGNUSSON |
| 76 | PIERRE ROLLAND |
| 77 | MICHAEL WOODS |
| BAHRAIN - MERIDA | |
| 81 | VINCENZO NIBALI |
| 82 | GREGA BOLE |
| 83 | ENRICO GASPAROTTO |
| 84 | JON IZAGIRRE |
| 85 | GORKA IZAGIRRE |
| 86 | FRANCO PELLIZOTTI |
| 87 | HERMANN PERNSTEINER |
| AG2R LA MONDIALE | |
| 91 | ALEXIS VUILLERMOZ |
| 92 | ROMAIN BARDET |
| 93 | JAN BAKELANTS |
| 94 | BENOIT COSNEFROY |
| 95 | AXEL DOMONT |
| 96 | MATHIAS FRANK |
| 97 | BEN GASTAUER |
| TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | |
| 101 | STEVEN KRUIJSWIJK |
| 102 | LARS BOOM |
| 103 | STEF CLEMENT |
| 104 | FLORIS DE TIER |
| 105 | ROBERT GESINK |
| 106 | BERT JAN LINDEMAN |
| 107 | PAUL MARTENS |
| BORA - HANSGROHE | |
| 111 | RAFAL MAJKA |
| 112 | CESARE BENEDETTI |
| 113 | EMANUEL BUCHMANN |
| 114 | PATRICK KONRAD |
| 115 | JAY MCCARTHY |
| 116 | GREGOR MÜHLBERGER |
| 117 | PAWEL POLJANSKI |
| LOTTO SOUDAL | |
| 121 | TIM WELLENS |
| 122 | TIESJ BENOOT |
| 123 | BJORG LAMBRECHT |
| 124 | TOMASZ MARCZYNSKI |
| 125 | MAXIME MONFORT |
| 126 | TOSH VAN DER SANDE |
| 127 | JELLE VANENDERT |
| ASTANA PRO TEAM | |
| 131 | JAKOB FUGLSANG |
| 132 | ANDREY GRIVKO |
| 133 | DARIO CATALDO |
| 134 | OMAR FRAILE |
| 135 | HUGO HOULE |
| 136 | TANEL KANGERT |
| 137 | MICHAEL VALGREN ANDERSEN |
| TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN | |
| 141 | ILNUR ZAKARIN |
| 142 | IAN BOSWELL |
| 143 | STEFF CRAS |
| 144 | MATTEO FABBRO |
| 145 | ROBERT KISERLOVSKI |
| 146 | MAURITS LAMMERTINK |
| 147 | WILLEM JAKOBUS SMIT |
| TEAM DIMENSION DATA | |
| 151 | TOM-JELTE SLAGTER |
| 152 | STEPHEN CUMMINGS |
| 153 | SCOTT DAVIES |
| 154 | NICHOLAS DLAMINI |
| 155 | AMANUEL GHEBREIGZABHIER |
| 156 | BENJAMIN KING |
| 157 | SERGE PAUWELS |
| TEAM SUNWEB | |
| 161 | MICHAEL MATTHEWS |
| 162 | JOHANNES FRÖHLINGER |
| 163 | SIMON GESCHKE |
| 164 | CHAD HAGA |
| 165 | CHRISTOPHER HAMILTON |
| 166 | SAM OOMEN |
| 167 | LAURENS TEN DAM |
| TREK - SEGAFREDO | |
| 171 | BAUKE MOLLEMA |
| 172 | JULIEN BERNARD |
| 173 | GREGORY DANIEL |
| 174 | MICHAEL GOGL |
| 175 | TSGABU GRMAY |
| 176 | RÙBEN GUERREIRO |
| 177 | TOMS SKUJINS |
| QUICK - STEP FLOORS | |
| 181 | JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE |
| 182 | BOB JUNGELS |
| 183 | JAMES KNOX |
| 184 | ENRIC MAS |
| 185 | MAXIMILIAN SCHACHMANN |
| 186 | PIETER SERRY |
| 187 | PHILIPPE GILBERT |
| WANTY - GROUPE GOBERT | |
| 191 | GUILLAUME MARTIN |
| 192 | KEVIN VAN MELSEN |
| 193 | THOMAS DEGAND |
| 194 | FABIEN DOUBEY |
| 195 | XANDRO MEURISSE |
| 196 | ANDREA PASQUALON |
| 197 | DION SMITH |
| SPORT VLAANDEREN - BALOISE | |
| 201 | BENJAMIN DECLERCQ |
| 202 | KEVIN DELTOMBE |
| 203 | THOMAS SPRENGERS |
| 204 | DRIES VAN GESTEL |
| 205 | MATHIAS VAN GOMPEL |
| 206 | AARON VERWILST |
| 207 | JORDI WARLOP |
| COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | |
| 211 | JESUS HERRADA |
| 212 | DANIEL NAVARRO |
| 214 | NICOLAS EDET |
| 215 | JOSE HERRADA |
| 216 | LUIS ANGEL MATE |
| 217 | JULIEN SIMON |
| 218 | ANTHONY PEREZ |
| WB AQUA PROTECT VERANCLASSIC | |
| 221 | MAXIME VANTOMME |
| 222 | THOMAS DERUETTE |
| 223 | JUSTIN JULES |
| 224 | CHRISTOPHE MASSON |
| 225 | JULIEN MORTIER |
| 226 | DIMITRI PEYSKENS |
| 227 | ANTOINE WARNIER |
| DELKO MARSEILLE PROVENCE KTM | |
| 231 | ROMAIN COMBAUD |
| 232 | JULIEN EL FARES |
| 233 | MAURO FINETTO |
| 234 | ANGEL MADRAZO |
| 236 | JOHN ANDERSON RODRIGUEZ |
| 237 | JULIEN TRARIEUX |
| 239 | LUCAS DE ROSSI |
| VITAL CONCEPT CYCLING CLUB | |
| 241 | QUENTIN PACHER |
| 242 | YOANN BAGOT |
| 243 | JOHAN LE BON |
| 244 | JUSTIN MOTTIER |
| 245 | PATRICK MÜLLER |
| 246 | KEVIN REZA |
| 247 | TANGUY TURGIS |