La Flèche Wallonne 2016 [FULL RACE + Ceremony Awards]

The 2016 La Flèche Wallonne (English: The Walloon Arrow) was a one-day cycling classic that took place on 20 April 2016. It was the 80th edition of La Flèche Wallonne and the twelfth race of the 2016 UCI World Tour. It was the second of the three Ardennes classics, coming after the Amstel Gold Race and before the Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won the 80th edition of La Fleche Wallonne with yet another perfectly timed late surge on the final part of the Mur de Huy. Thanks to his victory, Valverde became the only rider to win the Ardennes Classic four times.

The veteran Spaniard waited before making his move and then powered past Dan Martin and Martin’s Etixx-QuickStep teammate Julien Alaphilippe. The Frenchman could only follow Valverde home, with Martin taking third place. Wout Poels (Team Sky) was fourth, at four seconds, with Amstel Gold Race winner Enrico Gasparotto (Wanty-Grope Gobert) taking fifth.

Valverde only made his move in the final 500 metres of the race but his Movistar tam played a huge role in controlling the earlier attacks and a late move that included Bob Jungels (Etixx-QuickStep) and then Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal). He ensured he was perfectly placed on the Mur and then paced his effort as the gradient steepened and began to hurt. He wisely followed Dan Martin when the Irishman accelerated and then made his own move when Martin faded and the gradient eased. His previous victories and placings had clearly taught him the secrets of winning Fleche Wallonne.

Valverde dedicated his victory to his family and children but also to his teammates who have suffered nasty crashes in the first part of the season.

Cummings goes on the attack

The 80th edition of Fleche Wallonne started under blue skies, with the riders enjoying the warm conditions as they lined up in Marche-en-Famenne for the start of the 196km WorldTour race. 199 riders rolled out; with only Sergio Henao (Team Sky) missing after he was suspended by the British team after the UCI confirmed it has again opened an investigation into his Biological Passport blood values.

There were several attacks in the first hour but the groups that formed were too big for the peloton’s liking and so they were quickly pulled back.

The riders stayed together a while after a first fast hour, then Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) kicked off the attacks again.

He was joined by eight other riders and then Mads Pedersen (Stölting Service Group) made a huge effort to get across and so create the 10-rider move of the race. Also there were Koen Bouwman (LottoNL-Jumbo), Silvan Dillier (BMC), Vegard Stake Laengen (IAM), Kiel Reijnen (Trek-Segafredo), Matteo Bono (Lampre-Merida), Tosh Van Der Sande (Lotto Soudal), Sander Helven (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Pedersen and Quentin Pacher (Delko Marseille Provence KTM).

The 10 were let go by the peloton and so quickly opened a lead of 3:30 after the early cotes of the race and the opening 100km of racing.

Bouwman lead the break up the Mur de Huy the first time through the finish, with the huge crowds cheering on the riders. Valverde was well placed in the peloton but other riders were suffering, including Dario Cataldo (Astana), who quit the race.

As the women fought for victory on the Mur de Huy, the men covered other cotes out in the countryside. The breakaway riders worked smoothly but their lead began to fall gradually as the peloton upped their chase.

The twisting roads were hurting, however, and riders continued to be dropped. Crashes also caused problems. With 41km to go Frank Schleck (Trek-Segafredo) went down and was unable to get up. He could only hold his right arm in pain and was diagnosed with a suspected fractured collarbone. The veteran Luxembourg rider’s Ardennes hopes were over in an instant.

Upfront the break also fell apart, with four riders being distanced. It was time for the second climb of the Mur de Huy and Dilier skipped clear, with Cummings going after him. They formed the final hopes of the break but the peloton was chasing, with Movistar and Katusha doing much of the work for Rodriguez and Valverde.

Cummings opted to drop Dilier over the top and made a huge effort alone but was eventually swept up with 18km remaining. It was time for the finale of the race.

Two cotes in a tough finale

The final 16km of the modern Fleche Wallonne route includes some twisting country roads and the Côte d’Ereffe and Côte de Cherave – a 1.3km climb at 8 per cent, which comes with just six kilometres before the Mur de Huy. The Côte d’Ereffe sparked an attack from Bob Jungels (Etixx-QuickStep). He was joined by Georg Georg Preidler (Giant-Alpecin) and Jon Izagirre (Movistar). They opened a gap over the top of the d’Ereffe and stayed away over the Côte de Cherave, where Wellens surged across to them. The attack cracked several expected contenders including Philippe Gilbert (BMC) and Petr Vakoc (Etixx-QuickStep).

Other riders tried to jump across, including Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge), but they were pulled back by the peloton, with Tinkoff doing much of the chase.

Wellens tried hard to drive the attack but both Izagirre and Jungels were riding for their team leaders and the move fizzled out along the river, two kilometres before the rider hit the Mur de Huy. Yet again, the 1.3km, 9.6 per cent climb decided the winner and gave Valverde a place in the history books.

Results:
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 4:43:57
2 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx – Quick-Step
3 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx – Quick-Step
4 Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky 0:00:04
5 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert 0:00:05
6 Samuel Sánchez Gonzalez (Spa) BMC Racing Team
7 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdge
8 Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre – Merida
9 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
10 Rui Costa (Por) Lampre – Merida
11 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff Team
12 Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale Pro Cycling
13 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
14 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:12
15 Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:14
16 Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
17 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
18 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:17
19 Pierre-Roger Latour (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
20 Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana Pro Team
21 Michael Matthews (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 0:00:23
22 Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale
23 Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
24 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:00:27
25 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:29
26 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre – Merida
27 Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton
28 Joaquim Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Team Katusha 0:00:32
29 Dries Devenyns (Bel) IAM Cycling 0:00:34
30 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team
31 Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Astana Pro Team
32 Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
33 Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton
34 Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Wanty-Groupe Gobert
35 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:40
36 Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale Pro Cycling
37 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:43
38 Chris Anker Sorensen (Den) Fortuneo – Vital Concept 0:00:46
39 Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Giant-Alpecin
40 Florian Vachon (Fra) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
41 Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Tinkoff Team 0:00:50
42 Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:52
43 Julien El Farès (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
44 Jérémy Maison (Fra) FDJ 0:00:55
45 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
46 Eliot Lietaer (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:01:01
47 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:01:14
48 Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:01:22
49 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team 0:01:27
50 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:01:32
51 Mickaël Chérel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:39
52 Cyril Gautier (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
53 Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:01:42
54 Fabian Wegmann (Ger) Stölting Service Group 0:01:54
55 Luis Angel Maté Mardones (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credit 0:02:02
56 Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:02:04
57 Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:02:06
58 Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx – Quick-Step
59 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
60 Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension Data 0:02:10
61 Stefan Denifl (Aut) IAM Cycling 0:02:13
62 Guillaume Martin (Fra) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
63 Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:02:17
64 Jon Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:25
65 Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:02:33
66 Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:03:01
67 Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
68 David De La Cruz (Spa) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:03:16
69 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:03:23
70 Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton 0:03:30
71 Natnael Berhane (Eri) Dimension Data
72 Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ
73 Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM Cycling
74 Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky
75 Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM Cycling
76 Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
77 Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
78 Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEdge
79 Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
80 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
81 Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
82 Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
83 Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM Cycling
84 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx – Quick-Step
85 Gaetan Bille (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
86 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
87 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM Cycling
88 Angel Vicioso (Spa) Team Katusha
89 Yury Trofimov (Rus) Tinkoff Team
90 Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton 0:03:34
91 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team
92 Loic Vliegen (Bel) BMC Racing Team
93 Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff Team
94 Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ 0:04:14
95 Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling 0:04:16
96 Michael Valgren (Den) Tinkoff Team 0:04:56
97 Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:00
98 Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff Team 0:05:11
99 Sergei Chernetckii (Rus) Team Katusha
100 Alberto Losada (Spa) Team Katusha
101 Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha
102 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team Katusha
103 Chad Haga (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
104 Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto Soudal
105 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
106 Rémy Di Grégorio (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:05:22
107 Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx – Quick-Step 0:05:25
108 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:05:54
109 Carlos Betancur (Col) Movistar Team 0:05:58
110 Ruben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar Team
111 Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre – Merida
112 Michal Golas (Pol) Team Sky 0:06:08
113 Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
114 Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) BMC Racing Team
115 Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team Sky
116 Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
117 Christopher Juul Jensen (Den) Orica-GreenEdge 0:06:29
118 Mario Costa (Por) Lampre – Merida 0:06:58
119 Sander Helven (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:07:00
120 Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension Data 0:07:08
121 Lawson Craddock (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
122 Romain Combaud (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:08:02
123 Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling
124 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) FDJ
125 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ
126 Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor) Team Katusha
127 Daniel Teklehaimanot (Eri) Dimension Data
128 Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
129 Michael Reihs (Den) Stölting Service Group
130 Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
131 Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
132 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Team
133 Julien Loubet (Fra) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
134 Stefan Kung (Swi) BMC Racing Team
135 Sander Armée (Bel) Lotto Soudal
136 Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team
137 Simon Geschke (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
138 Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek-Segafredo
139 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
140 Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Fortuneo – Vital Concept
141 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
142 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-Segafredo
143 Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar Team 0:08:10
144 Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
145 Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:08:12
146 Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre – Merida 0:08:15
147 Toms Skujins (Lat) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:08:22
148 Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team 0:10:54
149 Aleksei Tsatevich (Rus) Team Katusha 0:11:19
150 Tim Declercq (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
151 Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
152 Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
153 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton
154 Omar Fraile (Spa) Dimension Data
155 Leonardo Duque (Col) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
156 Yannick Martinez (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:11:23
157 Reinier Honig (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton 0:11:28
158 Delio Fernández Cruz (Spa) Delko Marseille Provence KTM 0:11:41
159 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky
160 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) IAM Cycling
161 Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo
162 Christian Mager (Ger) Stölting Service Group 0:11:47
DNF Quentin Pacher (Fra) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Daniel Diaz (Arg) Delko Marseille Provence KTM
DNF Thomas Koep (Ger) Stölting Service Group
DNF Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) Stölting Service Group
DNF Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Stölting Service Group
DNF Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Dries Van Gestel (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
DNF Youcef Reguigui (Alg) Dimension Data
DNF Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton
DNF Kai Reus (Ned) Roompot – Oranje Peloton
DNF Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal
DNF Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin
DNF Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ
DNF William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ
DNF Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
DNF Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Marco Marcato (Ita) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Mark Mcnally (GBr) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
DNF Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Team
DNF Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
DNF Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team
DNF Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky
DNF Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky
DNF Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
DNF Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-GreenEdge
DNF Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica-GreenEdge