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Fleche Wallone Discussion
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 15-03-2020 11:48
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7773
Joined: 04-07-2012
PCM$: 20845.00
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 Fleche Wallone
History
| Year | Winner | Team | | 2018 | Simone Ponzi | Hugo Boss | | 2017 | Francesco Ginanni | Gazelle | | 2016 | Wilco Kelderman | Team Puma - SAP | | 2015 | Simone Ponzi | Good Energy | | 2014 | Francesco Ginnani | Pokerstars.com | | 2013 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Aker - MOT | | 2012 | Sylvain Chavanel | Jack Wolfskin | | 2011 | Damiano Cunego | La Gazzetta dello Sport | | 2010 | Riccardo Ricco | White Bear - Wild Horse | | 2009 | Michael Boogerd | Philips - Hummel | | 2008 | Alejandro Valverde | France Televisions | | 2007 | Frank Schleck | Saunier Duval - Prodir |
Leg two of the Ardennes triplet: Fleche Wallone. Held between Amstel Gold Race and Liège - Bastogne - Liège, once again many of the premier puncheurs in the world line up to take the prestigious win. Ponzi dealt the first blow last week, but the competition is hungry for revenge. The battle for the win is wide open and we should see an interesting sprint on the Mur de Huy.
Profile
197.2 kilometer from Charleroi to Huy, more specifically the Mur de Huy. The climb is 1.3 kilometer long with an average gradient of 9.3%, with sections above 20%. The riders have to climb the Mur three times, including at the finish. Other than that there are many more short but steeps climb to be conquered this race.
Startlist
| Favorites | HL | ACC | RES | Outsiders | HL | ACC | RES |  Hagen | 85 | 74 | 79 |  McCarthy | 81 | 75 | 74 |  Ponzi | 84 | 72 | 80 |  Ginanni | 81 | 75 | 71 |  Bakelants | 83 | 77 | 77 |  Koretzky | 81 | 70 | 79 |  Skujins | 83 | 77 | 76 |  Buchmann | 80 | 74 | 73 |  De Bie | 83 | 76 | 75 |  Boswell | 80 | 73 | 76 |  Bobridge | 83 | 74 | 80 |  Ulissi | 80 | 71 | 75 |  Sagan | 83 | 74 | 76 | Anuar Aziz | 80 | 71 | 69 |  Lutsenko | 83 | 73 | 81 |  Waeytens | 80 | 70 | 73 |  Mohoric | 83 | 72 | 77 |  Dowsett | 80 | 69 | 71 | | Van Garderen | 82 | 75 | 79 |  Chernetskiy | 79 | 69 | 71 |  Gastauer | 82 | 70 | 76 | Barrio | 79 | 63 | 67 |
Let's start with the reining winner: Ponzi. He also won the 2015 edition, so knows the route quite well, and is in form with his Amstel Gold Race win. Is he the man to beat?
Hagen finished second in Amstel by the slightest of margins. He was also runner-up to Ponzi in last year's edition of this race. He has won once but we have to go back to 2013, and another trip to the podium is long overdue.
The only other former winner on the startlist is Ginanni, two-time winner in 2017 and 2014. This year he does not start as a big favorite but given the history he should not be discarded that easily.
There hasn't been a Belgian winner in recent history. Bakelants and De Bie are determined to change that, but they have to beat the likes of Ponzi and Hagen.
Sagan took third place in Amstel, also the result he scored here last time around. Van Garderen also has a podium finish here, second place all the way back in 2013.
A new name on the history list is always welcome. Lutsenko or Mohoric are branded as future stars, will this year be the change of guards?
Bobridge has never finished better than seventh here, a result he wishes to improve upon. Skujins has many top ten finishes but never a podium, there's a first time for everything.
Other riders with high top ten possibilities are Gastauer, Koretzky, McCarthy, Boswell and Ulissi. The PCT wildcards went to Andorra and Lierse, who show up here with Dowsett and Waeytens.
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| roturn |
Posted on 15-03-2020 11:58
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Team Manager
Posts: 22043
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PCM$: 3900.00
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After Amstel Gold was a bad form race for De Bie, Fleche Wallone hopefully is seeing him in good form.
Podium would be nice to get. Top5 really wanted after AGR.
Alongside the hill squad around Hugenhaben/Thurau/Zardini/Eiking also Daan Olivier here as pure support.
So backup points are surely wanted, even though likely maximum one decent scorer in the end alongside De Bie. |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 15-03-2020 12:11
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15025
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 11500.00
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Always puts a smile on my face when experienced reporters still mention Waeytens in their preview 
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| roturn |
Posted on 15-03-2020 12:20
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Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
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Ollfardh wrote:
Always puts a smile on my face when experienced reporters still mention Waeytens in their preview
I still call Hugenhaben is a valuable support rider as well. 
Sometimes you are blended by the stats. |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 15-03-2020 12:37
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3030
Joined: 11-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Someone in the BOTD please! Zero expectations here.
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| ember |
Posted on 15-03-2020 12:49
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Team Leader
Posts: 7058
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
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I can only second tastasol |
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| Yellow Jersey |
Posted on 15-03-2020 13:48
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2809
Joined: 16-04-2013
PCM$: 900.00
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Puncheurs haven't given me anything so far this season so I expect nothing
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| matt17br |
Posted on 15-03-2020 14:16
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 10519
Joined: 28-09-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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If the previous hilly classics are any indication, I'm really hoping Ulissi can crack a top 50 here.
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| sgdanny |
Posted on 15-03-2020 14:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3587
Joined: 18-03-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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Aiming for the triplet obviously. Let's go!
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 15-03-2020 17:18
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
Joined: 20-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Actually expect more from Formolo than Ginanni here. We don't really have a top 10 candidate, but hopefully we can score through depth.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 15-03-2020 21:07
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World Champion
Posts: 10616
Joined: 29-10-2007
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Next chance for Arndt to get the classics train back on track, AGR was a shitshow at p60 for him so I hope not having Demare around helps his cause here.
Theoretically, the Mur looks long enough for a decent MO to matter, but it'll be irrelevant if the positioning is bad and the inevitable splits are missed again.
I'd also like to see us in the break, there's a decent chance those riders can hold on to a points paying position if the leash is kept long.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 06-12-2025 20:43
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| roturn |
Posted on 16-03-2020 12:11
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Team Manager
Posts: 22043
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You know, it`s a really bad performance if the first mention of the team/leader is after the finish line...
16th is a huge disappointment for a 83 puncheur...being beaten by riders such as Le Roux, Chernetskiy, Lane is really not acceptable for De Bie.
At least Olivier at 28th and Zardini 34th a bit of points.
But with now 2/3 of the Ardennes Week being underperformances, LBL can only get better and in past seasons also was.
Congrats to Eden for this win as it`s not often someone able to beat Ponzi and Hagen at the same time and even Sagan as well.
Thanks for the report. Except for my team`s performance, it was a nice read, although it really could have done well with some more action race wise, which was just waiting for the final "sprint". |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 16-03-2020 12:25
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3030
Joined: 11-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Great days for Indosat at the moment! Nice to see our former rider Bakelants winning as well. You can always count on a good result from him, but the wins are a bit more rare, so congrats Eden!
We got a man in the BOTD, so we did what we came for tbh. On to the next one.
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| jph27 |
Posted on 16-03-2020 12:33
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Team Leader
Posts: 7374
Joined: 20-03-2010
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14th and 22nd isn't bad, but I feel as though McCarthy should really be finishing ahead of some of the riders in front of him there - still, he beat the likes of De Bie and Skuijns so I can't complain too much. Thanks for the report! |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 16-03-2020 12:41
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15025
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 11500.00
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Good job Zico, you almost beat De Plus there.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| matt17br |
Posted on 16-03-2020 12:45
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 10519
Joined: 28-09-2013
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I suppose a 18th place is alright considering the field, that's very much into the top 50. Great week for Indosat, congrats Eden!
PCM 18 really captures how boring Fleche Wallone is in real life as well, thanks for trying to spice the report up a bit Marco!
Now onto Liege which is supposed to suit Ulissi a bit more. On paper at least that is.
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 16-03-2020 13:05
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9137
Joined: 13-03-2013
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That was exactly the real Life Race, classic hill. Mohoric with a great performance, shame he lost it so close. The team, though not reflected in the final standings, also did a fantastic job today. Congrats to the winner though!
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| ember |
Posted on 16-03-2020 14:59
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Team Leader
Posts: 7058
Joined: 27-03-2008
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Cool to see Amezawa as our best rider. Hopefully he'll be improve quite a lot next time he's riding this race
Congratluations again, Eden. Big days for your team, and quite a momentum looking at your points haul.
Thank you for the report, Marcovdw. |
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| Heine |
Posted on 16-03-2020 16:31
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4467
Joined: 08-04-2007
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Considering the field I couldn't expect more, had hoped for a bit better by Buchmann as our number 2, but we can't get everything
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| cio93 |
Posted on 16-03-2020 18:44
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World Champion
Posts: 10616
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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Same old, same old. We make the final selection, but can't bother to position well, and Arndt finishes 10+ spots behind riders like Formolo and others who do not get leader protection from their teams. The gamble is failing.
At least we did get Declerq into the break, and Felline took more than minimum points for once.
Luckily, the top top points go teams we likely do not need to keep an eye on (yet), but just barely! Great fight up there, and congrats Eden yet again.
Thanks Marco for keeping things going.
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