Valverde wins La Fleche Wallonne 2015
Alaphilippe, Albasini round out podium
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) defended his La Flèche Wallonne title with a gutsy performance on the Mur de Huy. The Spaniard led from the front on the final climb and held off the challenges from Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) and Michael Albasini (Orica GreenEdge) to win by a clear margin.
The win marked the Spaniard's third win the race and came after Movistar reeled in a late attack from Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), who broke clear on the penultimate climb of the Côte de Cherave, and survived into the final 500 metres.
Valverde used the catch of Wellens as the moment to confidently move to the front of the strung out group of favourites, and as the gradient began to bite world champion and pre-race favourite Michał Kwiatkowski started to lose ground.
The Katusha pairing of Dani Moreno and Joaquim Rodriguez desperately tried to hang onto Valverde’s coattails but they were too far back to respond, with the only the well-placed Albasini and surprise runner-up Alaphilippe able to muster any form of a challenge.
The Frenchman was too good for Albasini but by the time Valverde looked back he was clear of the rest and had plenty of time to savour another La Flèche Wallonne victory.
The race was, however, marred by series of crashes with former winner Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) forced to abandon. There were other falls for Daniel Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) and former Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Team Sky).
The addition of the Côte de Cherave, coming just before the Mur de Huy, played a part in reducing the depth of the field before the final climb of the Mur but Movistar and Valverde were never troubled, blending a mix of attack and defence that saw Giovanni Visconti form a dangerous late counter attack with Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) before the last two climbs.
Attacks from Vincenzo Nibali, Tejay van Garderen and Wellens soon followed but Movistar – with help from Lampe Merida, who were working for Rui Costa – neutralized anything that attempted to establish a lead.
How it unfolded
Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Mike Teunissen (Team LottoNL-Jumbo), Brice Feillu (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Jérôme Baugnies (Wanty - Groupe Gobert), Reinier Honig (Team Roompot), Daniele Ratto (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), and Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport) formed the day’s early break, jumping clear inside the opening 10 kilometres and establishing a healthy eight-minute lead over the peloton.
In near-perfect conditions the peloton eased into the task of organising a chase with Katusha and Movistar the first to oblige with turns on the front. Their efforts were merely to keep the break in check, rather than prepare an organised and concerted chase as up ahead De Gendt used his experience to set a steady pace on the opening climbs.
As the peloton approached the Mur de Huy for the first time Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) crossed wheels with Machado. The Irishman gingerly returned to his feet, and eventually the bunch, but his challenge was effectively over.
Team Sky made their presence at the front felt with British road champion Peter Kennaugh setting the pace for the peloton and the gap the break slipping to a more manageable five minutes.
Honig and Teunissen were unceremoniously dropped from the break soon after but the five remaining riders pressed on as Katusha, Etixx-QuickStep and Movistar emerged as the teams willing to control a more determined chase.
Disaster struck for Gilbert, when like Martin, he was taken down in another avoidable fall – the peloton visibly bunching together with parked cars either side of the road. Lars Petter Nordhaug, Wouter Poels (Sky), Ben King (Garmin-Cannondale), Amael Moinard (BMC) and Anthony Roux (FDJ) were caught in the next fall.
Up ahead, the five remaining leaders started the Mur’s second ascent with just a 50-second buffer on a rampaging peloton and by the time they crested the summit only Thomas De Gendt and Jerome Baugnies remained clear.
Visconti and Luis Leon Sanchez took the opportunity to drift clear of the bunch and latch onto the two leaders as they powered down the descent and the newly formed group established a twenty-second lead. With Movistar and Astana taking a breather, it fell to Katusha and Etixx to control the peloton.
On the slopes of the Ereffe, Tejay van Garderen accelerated clear but his efforts were in vain – unable to catch the leaders, he was swallowed up before the penultimate climb – the race’s new addition of the Côte de Cherave.
Visconti and Sanchez started the ascent with a slender lead and it was Nibali was attacked from the bunch first. He simply brought the pack closer to the leaders and provided Wellens with the platform to hit the peloton at the right moment.
Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) tried to give chase but the Italian was unable to keep Wellens in his sights as the Lotto Soudal rider led into the foot of the Mur.
The lead was no more than 15 seconds but any hope of a Lotto win were dashed as the gradient rose. Wellens’ fluidity in pedal stroke was instantly lost, as Lampre and Movistar gathered at the front of the peloton.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team | 5:08:22 |
2 | Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
3 | Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge | Row 2 - Cell 2 |
4 | Joaquim Rodriguez (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 3 - Cell 2 |
5 | Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 4 - Cell 2 |
6 | Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:04 |
7 | Sergio Luis Henao (Col) Team Sky | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
9 | Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | Row 8 - Cell 2 |
10 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
11 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Tinkoff-Saxo | 0:00:08 |
12 | Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:00:10 |
13 | Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 12 - Cell 2 |
14 | Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:00:13 |
15 | Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 14 - Cell 2 |
16 | Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | 0:00:16 |
17 | Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
18 | Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
19 | Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek Factory Racing | 0:00:19 |
20 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
21 | Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJ.fr | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
23 | Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team | 0:00:22 |
24 | Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) IAM Cycling | 0:00:23 |
25 | Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
26 | Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
27 | Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
28 | Rui Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida | 0:00:28 |
29 | Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | 0:00:30 |
30 | Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek Factory Racing | 0:00:36 |
31 | Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
32 | Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
33 | Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:38 |
34 | Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:00:42 |
35 | Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:43 |
36 | Michel Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot | 0:00:51 |
37 | Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:00:53 |
38 | Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
39 | Serge Pauwels (Bel) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:00:57 |
40 | Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:01:09 |
41 | Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team | 0:01:16 |
42 | Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Lampre-Merida | 0:01:19 |
43 | Floris De Tier (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:01:32 |
44 | Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:01:37 |
45 | Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica GreenEdge | 0:01:39 |
46 | Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Team Katusha | 0:01:47 |
47 | Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:01:54 |
48 | Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Francis De Greef (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 48 - Cell 2 |
50 | Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
51 | Huub Duijn (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 50 - Cell 2 |
52 | Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:02:00 |
53 | Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team | 0:02:01 |
54 | Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team | 0:02:02 |
55 | Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | 0:02:05 |
56 | Carlos Betancur (Col) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 55 - Cell 2 |
57 | Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 56 - Cell 2 |
58 | Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | Row 57 - Cell 2 |
59 | Larry Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling | Row 58 - Cell 2 |
60 | Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre-Merida | Row 59 - Cell 2 |
61 | Marco Canola (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 60 - Cell 2 |
62 | Simon Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEdge | Row 61 - Cell 2 |
63 | Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 62 - Cell 2 |
64 | Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:02:12 |
65 | Marc De Maar (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 64 - Cell 2 |
66 | Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:02:16 |
67 | Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar | Row 66 - Cell 2 |
68 | Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 67 - Cell 2 |
69 | Jacques Janse Van Rensburg (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:02:19 |
70 | Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 69 - Cell 2 |
71 | Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | 0:02:22 |
72 | Stephen Cummings (GBr) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:02:27 |
73 | Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 72 - Cell 2 |
74 | Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | Row 73 - Cell 2 |
75 | José Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:02:43 |
76 | Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team | Row 75 - Cell 2 |
77 | Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Team Katusha | Row 76 - Cell 2 |
78 | Mirko Selvaggi (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:02:50 |
79 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team | 0:02:56 |
80 | Tiago Machado (Por) Team Katusha | 0:03:29 |
81 | Manuele Boaro (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo | 0:03:33 |
82 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 81 - Cell 2 |
83 | Yannick Eijssen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 82 - Cell 2 |
84 | Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | 0:03:45 |
85 | Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Team Roompot | 0:03:58 |
86 | Pieter Jacobs (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:04:03 |
87 | Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:04:46 |
88 | Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:04:49 |
89 | Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale | 0:05:44 |
90 | Manuele Mori (Ita) Lampre-Merida | 0:05:47 |
91 | Valerio Conti (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 90 - Cell 2 |
92 | Tony Martin (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 91 - Cell 2 |
93 | Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky | Row 92 - Cell 2 |
94 | Pieter Weening (Ned) Orica GreenEdge | 0:05:50 |
95 | Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 94 - Cell 2 |
96 | Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJ.fr | 0:05:53 |
97 | Nathan Haas (Aus) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | 0:06:24 |
98 | Jose Rodolfo Serpa (Col) Lampre-Merida | Row 97 - Cell 2 |
99 | Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:07:11 |
100 | Michal Golas (Pol) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 99 - Cell 2 |
101 | Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:07:19 |
102 | Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team | 0:07:59 |
103 | Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team | Row 102 - Cell 2 |
104 | Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:08:03 |
105 | Sergey Lagutin (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 104 - Cell 2 |
106 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 105 - Cell 2 |
107 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | Row 106 - Cell 2 |
108 | Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 107 - Cell 2 |
109 | Pieter Serry (Bel) Etixx - Quick-Step | Row 108 - Cell 2 |
110 | Youcef Reguigui (Alg) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:08:08 |
111 | Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | Row 110 - Cell 2 |
112 | Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro Team | 0:08:17 |
113 | Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | 0:08:22 |
114 | Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | 0:08:46 |
115 | Mike Terpstra (Ned) Team Roompot | 0:09:10 |
116 | Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | 0:09:40 |
117 | Brice Feillu (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | Row 116 - Cell 2 |
118 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | Row 117 - Cell 2 |
119 | Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 118 - Cell 2 |
120 | Patrick Schelling (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 119 - Cell 2 |
121 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | 0:09:52 |
122 | Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-Step | 0:10:57 |
123 | Christopher Froome (GBr) Team Sky | 0:12:19 |
124 | Angelo Tulik (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:13:18 |
125 | Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin | 0:13:20 |
126 | Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn) Trek Factory Racing | Row 125 - Cell 2 |
127 | Bryan Nauleau (Fra) Team Europcar | 0:13:28 |
128 | Songezo Jim (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | 0:13:42 |
129 | Davide Frattini (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 0:13:51 |
130 | Daniele Ratto (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | 0:14:27 |
131 | Frederico Zurlo (Ita) UnitedHealthcare | Row 130 - Cell 2 |
132 | Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | 0:17:46 |
133 | Reinier Honig (Ned) Team Roompot | 0:18:02 |
DNF | Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar Team | Row 133 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | Row 134 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matej Mohoric (Slo) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | Row 135 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | Row 136 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rein Taaramae (Est) Astana Pro Team | Row 137 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky | Row 138 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Daniel Martin (Irl) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team | Row 139 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Dmitrii Kozonchuk (Rus) Team Katusha | Row 140 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky | Row 141 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky | Row 142 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team | Row 143 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Rory Sutherland (Aus) Movistar Team | Row 144 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team | Row 145 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Peter Kennaugh (GBr) Team Sky | Row 146 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 147 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Laurent Pichon (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 148 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kévin Reza (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 149 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 150 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) FDJ.fr | Row 151 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Clement Chevrier (Fra) IAM Cycling | Row 152 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 153 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pirmin Lang (Swi) IAM Cycling | Row 154 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM Cycling | Row 155 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Arthur Van Overberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 156 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Otto Vergaerde (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | Row 157 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jérôme Cousin (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 158 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 159 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Cheng Ji (Chn) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 160 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Clément Venturini (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 161 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simone Antonini (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 162 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Boris Dron (Bel) Wanty - Groupe Gobert | Row 163 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 164 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) MTN - Qhubeka | Row 165 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pierre-Luc Perichon (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement | Row 166 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jesper Asselman (Ned) Team Roompot | Row 167 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Alessandro Bazzana (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 168 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 169 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 170 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling | Row 171 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Yohan Bagot (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits | Row 172 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 173 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 174 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 175 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Michael Valgren Andersen (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo | Row 176 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Julian Arredondo (Col) Trek Factory Racing | Row 177 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bob Jungels (Lux) Trek Factory Racing | Row 178 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Calvin Watson (Aus) Trek Factory Racing | Row 179 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre-Merida | Row 180 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 181 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale | Row 182 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Soudal | Row 183 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Pim Ligthart (Ned) Lotto Soudal | Row 184 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) FDJ.fr | Row 185 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Romain Guillemois (Fra) Team Europcar | Row 186 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Fredrik Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-Alpecin | Row 187 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Thomas Leezer (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 188 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 189 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Team LottoNL-Jumbo | Row 190 - Cell 2 |
DNF | Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica GreenEdge | Row 191 - Cell 2 |
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