Tadej Pogacar, untouchable, wins the Walloon arrow for the second time in his career

Pique to the heart, Tadej Pogacar rectified the shot by not leaving his opponents this time. Second in its last two races-Paris-Roubaix, April 13, and Amstel Gold Race, Sunday-, the Slovenian won the Walloon Flèche, Wednesday April 23, for the second time after its success in the 2023 edition. The world champion impressed by easily depositing his opponents in the terrible wall of Huy (9.6 % average over 1.3 kilometers, with 20 % passages) before crossing the line) before crossing the line) before crossing the line solo arrival. “It’s a great feeling to win here again, on this difficult final”said the Slovenian on arrival.

Only his surrounded eyes and her soggy outfit attests to the difficulties encountered by the runners throughout the 205 kilometers of racing passed in the rain. Because Pogacar seemed easy by attacking from afar in this Huy wall, 500 meters from the top and seated on its saddle.

“I was very well taken by Jan [Christen] a brandon [McNulty] (…), He said. Then Ben Healy came to my level. I told myself that he wanted to attack, I accelerated, then I looked over my shoulder and no one had followed me. »»

“I didn’t even see him go”

Behind, none of his competitors managed to take his wheel. “I focused on myself. I haven’t even seen him go ”smiled Lenny Martinez, the Frenchman of Bahrain Victorious, who finished at the foot of the podium (4ᵉ).

In a few hundred meters, the team of Team Emirates therefore managed to dig a gap of 10 s with the French Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B & B Hotels), who finished the Walloon arrow in 2ᵉ place for the second year in a row. Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) completes the podium of this race which, as often, has therefore decanted in the last kilometer.

During the first two climbs of the day of the Huy Wall, Pogacar wisely remained in the peloton. Perhaps the Slovenian had learned the lesson of the Amstel Gold Race? Three days ago, he had consumed too much forces to race in mind, alone, 40 kilometers from the finish after an overly premature attack. This time, the world champion waited for the right time and “No one was close to being able to follow”judged Ben Healy, the Irishman of EF Education-Easypost, who finished in 5ᵉ place.

Back for the first time since 2022 in an event he won three times, Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) next to 22ᵉ, far from the top 10 where there are three French people, including Romain Grégoire (7ᵉ). After his promising return on the Brabançonne arrow, which he won, and his 3ᵉ place at the Amstel Gold Race, Remco Evenepoel this time stalled in the last ascent.

The Belgian runner of Sudal Quick-Step will therefore try to take revenge on Pogacar, Sunday, April 27, during Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a race that suits its qualities perfectly. The duel between the two runners, annihilated by Mattias Skjelmose during the Amstel Gold Race and finally nonexistent during this Walloon arrow, could take place during this monument of which they won the last four editions. But with this success on La Flèche Wallonne, his fifth of the season and his 94ᵉ in career, Pogacar gave things to clear: the undisputed boss of the peloton is him.