As it happened: Stevie Williams sprints to win freezing Flèche Wallonne

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage fo Flèche Wallonne.

We’re in the Ardennes for the second leg of Ardennes Week, following last Sunday’s exciting and unpredictable Amstel Gold Race.

While most of the classics change over the years, be it in terms of route or tactics,La Flèche Wallonne remains constant. The Mur de Huy has been the race’s finish for four whole decades, and virtually every year the race comes down to a sprint up it.

The sense of predictability has led to many repeat winners in recent years — Alejandro Valverde won four in succession between 2014 - 2017, while Julian Alaphilippe triumphed in three of the following four editions. But this year’s race looks very open, missing defending champion Tadej Pogačar and lacking an outright favourite.

The riders are in the neutralised zone and will begin racing shortly.

If there is an outright favourite, then it's probably Tom Pidcock. In the absence of Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, he’s the puncheur with the most star quality, and marked himself out as the man to beat by winning Amstel Gold on Sunday.

Another top tip is Marc Hirschi. Along with Dylan Teuns, he’s one of only two former winners taking part, and for the first time in a while is starting to show some signs of the form he was in four years ago when he triumphed here.

199KM TO GO

We're off!

Attacks are being made, and four riders have a small gap: Lilain Calmejane, Txomin Juaristi, James Whelan and Alan Jousseaume. 

The peloton seems happy with this group already, with their lead already having grown to over a minute.

There are a few more riders out of the peloton trying to join the four leaders - Igor Chzhan, Aaron Van den Beken and Johan Meens.

190KM TO GO

Now nearly two minutes for the leaders - it seems the peloton is happy to let this one go. 

Meens and Chzhan have joined the lead group on an uncategorised uphill they're climbing, but have dropped Van der Beken, who has yet to make the junction.

180KM TO GO

Over three minutes now for the lead group, but they're still not hanging about - so much so that Van der Beken doesn't look like he's going to make it. He's drifted to no-man's land, about halfway between both groups.

Ineos Grenadiers have taken control of the peloton, embracing the notion that Tom Pidcock is favourite for today.

Before the start, Pidcock explained how “there was not much time to celebrate” after his Amstel Gold win. 

“A few guys changed their flights, we had a nice dinner, but when you come to these races you know there are three this week.

“[Amstel Gold] was tough, but I recovered well. I’m recovering really fast at the moment, and I feel good. I know the legs are good, today’s a tricky race. It’s almost tactical this climb, I’ve never got it right before. So we’ll see.

“My best result [at Flèche Wallonne] was sixth, in my first year where I came off quite a turbulent few days after Amstel Gold, when my head wasn’t in the right place. And last year I came in super-far back. I can definitely do better than that, but it’s going to be difficult to win, like every race now.”

Here are the six riders up the road - James Whelan, Igor Chzhan, Johan Meens, Alan Jousseaume, Lilian Calmejane and Txomin Juaristi.

170KM TO GO

4-30 now from the leaders to the peloton, where it's relaxed for now. Van der Beken sat up and has been reabsorbed.

It’s quite cold out, as indicated by the riders’ attire. There has also been some talk of rain, but it remains dry for now.

160KM TO GO

The Mur de Huy might be the race’s famous climb, but there are others to be tackled too - the first of which, Côte d'Yvoir, is coming in just a few kilometres.

Lidl-Trek are also contributing to the chase, for their man Mattias Skjelmose. He’s been in great form so far this season, and proved last year that he can do the Mur de Huy by sprinting for second up it last year, beaten only by Tadej Pogačar.

The leaders are done climbing the Côte d'Yvoir, with Juaristi the first to the top. Next, the riders will approach the finishing circuit, where the Mur de Huy and Côte d'Ereffe will each be taken on four times.

150KM TO GO

We're a quarter of the way into the race, and things are calm for now. The break's lead is 4-30, and the next climb isn't for another 40km.

EF Education-EasyPostNL have also had a presence at the front of the peloton, indicating their ambitions. Ben Healy, pictured here in the Irish national champion’s jersey, is their obvious contender, but at Amstel Gold he switched to a domestique role for Marijn van den Berg - and could do the same today for Richard Carapaz, who is the kind of pure climber that might relish the Mur de Huy.

140KM TO GO

The race has very much settled into a holding pattern. The gap is 4-40, and neither going up nor down at the moment.

130KM TO GO

Another 10km pass, and things remain the same. The riders are travelling through undulating terrain, but with no proper climbs to spark serious racing. That'll change in about 20km when they arrive onto the finishing circuit. 

While we wait for the action to kick off, have a read of the riders we’ve picked out as the favourites for victory today.

120KM TO GO

The gap's come down a bit, to 4-20, but still no urgency in the race. Some riders are taking comfort breaks as we speak. 

The Flèche Wallonne Femmes is also getting underway - you can follow all the action here. 

The wind turbines on the horizon of the race aren't picking up much action. It's cold out there, but not windy. A nice, easy day for the riders, with none of the threatened rain materialising.

110KM TO GO

Right, we're back climbing again. The leaders are on the finishing circuit, and are on the Côte d'Ereffe for the first time today. 

The Côte d'Ereffe is longer than the Mur de Huy, measuring 2.2km compared to its 1.3km, but lacks its steep slopes, averaging just 5.4%. The leaders are tackling it at a steady pace. 

Interesting development now as the rain starts to fall. Riders are dropping back to put on rain jackets.

Not only is it raining, it's raining hard! Riders getting absolutely drenched. 

Not only that, but the racing is on too now. UAE Team Emirates have moved to the front and are laying down the hammer.

Up ahead, the break is splitting up. Chzhan and Meens have been dropped by the other four. 

Though UAE Team Emirates are the team who increased the pace, the only big name spotted out the back so far is one of their own riders, João Almeida.

Still, the team has multiple options to choose between - not only 2020 winner Marc Hirschi, but also Juan Ayuso, Brandon McNulty, Diego Ulissi and Finn Fisher-Black.

100KM TO GO

The action has seen the gap between the leaders and the peloton come down, to about 3-30. 

Chzhan and Meens have rejoined the leaders. The break might split up again soon, though, as the Mur de Huy lurks just around the corner.

Poor James Whelan is having a horrible time trying to put in rain jacket on. He's got one sleeze in, but has been trying for minutes now to get the other one in. It really is hard when it's as cold and as rainy as it is right now - flashbacks to Jai Hindley having a similar crisis during the Stelvio stage of the 2020 Giro d'Italia.

Whelan has the jacket on now, but has found himself off the back of the rest of the break.

The leaders are on the Mur de Huy now, where many spectators have braved the rain.

The peloton is approaching it too, and there's a fight for position, with lots of EF and UAE riders to the fore.

The leaders reach the summit, with Whelan now just a few seconds behind and looking set to make contact again. 

Now the peloton reach the top, 2-55 behind. It's being led by UAE Team Emirates, who look intent on making this a fast race. 

The rain isn't as bad as it was, but it's still very cold, making this a very uncomfortable day for the riders, who are layering up. 

Jousseaume has also dropped out from the break, also having had trouble getting his rain gear on. He’s had so many problems that he’s even stopped at the roadside just to zip the jacket up. With Whelan having failed so far to rejoin, the leading group is currently down to four riders.

90KM TO GO

The peloton has been reduced since the Mur de Huy. Even Mauri Vansevenant, who impressed on Sunday to finish fourth at Amstel Gold, has lost contact for now.

The break in the downpour earlier. There were even hailstones for a short while. 

Vansevenant has bridged back up to the peloton, while Jousseaume has succumbed to the cold and dropped back into it.

Dodgy moment for Alpecin's Stan Van Tricht as he nearly comes a cropper riding through a deep puddle on the side of the road. Conditions really are rough out there.

It's now snowing!

Whelan has at least managed to make it back into the lead group, after all his problems with the cold earlier. 

80KM TO GO

They're about to start going up the Côte d'Ereffe again. It'll at least provide a chance to warm up a bit. 

The leaders are on the climb now. They might not be out for much longer though - the gap is down to a mere 40 seconds. 

EF Education-Easypost lead the peloton onto the climb.

Some riders being dropped out of the peloton on the climb, including Lidl-Trek's Andrea Bagioli.

A big surprise now as Dylan Teuns is dropped from the peloton. The winner from 2022 was one of the pre-race favourites. He seems to be suffering in the cold.

Now Pello Bilbao is being dropped. These conditions could throw up many suprises in the results. 

Meanwhile out front, after all his work to get back in, Whelan has been dropped from the break again. 

Just Calmejane, Meens and Juaristi are left in the break now. They’re leads down to 25 seconds.

A glimpse of how wet it is out there.

70KM TO GO

Groupama-FDJ are now riding at the front of the peloton, even though their rider David Gaudu was spotted just out the back a few minutes ago. Presumably they're working for either Valentin Madouas or Romain Grégoire.

The remaining three riders have been caught, leaving no more riders up the road ahead of the peloton.

There's been a split in the peloton, and lots of big names have been caught the wrong side of it - Tom Pidcock, Mattias Skjelmose and Tiesj Benoot. This could be a major development...

Some of the the riders caught out have now managed to rejoin, but Skjelmose is one rider still struggling. They've just started climbing the Mur de Huy again.

Marc Hirschi is being dropped now on the climb.

The peloton reach the top, and there are only about 30 riders left, with multiple splits behind. As well as Hirschi, Skjelmose Pidcock and Vansevenant are among the favourites distenced.

With the peloton significantly reduced, and no team in control of it, attacks are now flying off the front.

60KM TO GO

Most of the moves didn't succeed, but Søren Kragh Andersen has managed to escape and build a gap of about 10 seconds.

It’s hard to remember a men’s Flèche Wallonne as action packed as this. Has the time at last come when we’ll witness a different outcome from the usual final Mur de Huy bunch sprint?

Nicolas Prodhomme has now escaped out of the peloton and is setting off after Andersen. 

Despite struggling earlier, Benoot is still in this reduced peloton. EF still well represented too after their work earlier, with Healy and Carapaz still present. 

Benoot's at the team car, where a staff member is literally having to put his glove on for him. He's too cold to do so himself. 

Andersen really is committed to this move. He's all on his own, but had managed to gain 30 seconds. He's the kind of rider who can make a long-range solo move stick, as he did at the Tour de France a few years ago.

The riders on the Mur de Huy earlier.

Behind Andersen, Prodhomme was caught, and instead an Uno-X is pursuing him alone.

50KM TO GO

The Uno-X rider is Markus Hoelgaard, and he's 30 seconds behind the leader Andersen, and 10 seconds ahead of the peloton.

Côte d'Ereffe is coming up again soon, after which the riders will have to climb it just once more and the Mur de Huy twice more. This edition is much more open than we’re used to, so it might be hard to control - there could be some attacks from dangerous riders on this climb. 

The weather has improved, and it no longer seems to be raining. But it’s still very cold.

Attacks are indeed being made from the peloton, with the dangerous Max Van Gils in the midst of things. 

Holgaard is caught on the climb, while Van Gils is still trying to get away.

Andersen reaches the top of the climb with his lead increased, to nearly one minute. He's a dangerous rider the peloton will need to be careful to bring back.

Still appears to be around 30 riders in the peloton. Neither Van Gils nor anyone else managed to escape out of it on the climb. 

Ben Healy is leading the peloton, suggesting that he's performing the same domestique role he did at Amstel Gold. Richard Carapaz is a teammate in the group with him, who he must be working in aid of.

40KM TO GO

Andersen has a lead of 1-10. In a year of long-range solo victories in the classics, surely we won't see another one succeed in the classic least conducive to winning that way?

Ben Healy is leading the peloton again, but it’s hard to tell if he’s attacking or upping the pace. He has a few bike lengths, and keeps looking behind him, but isn't easing up.

He's eased up now and is back in the peloton. 

They're on the Mur again now. Andersen's gap up yet more, to 1-25.

Buitrago is leading the peloton and setting a strong pace, Williams on his wheel. 

Andersen hears the bell, reaches the top, and keeps pressing on. He still leads by 1-07, and has a chance.

It's all kicking off in the peloton though! Stepheb Williams has attacked and got a gap of several seconds. 

Behind him, Buitrago and Carapaz are togther, a few seconds ahead of another pair of riders.

 Vauquelin and Van Gils were the two riders behind Carapaz and Buitrago, and they've caught them now to form a chase group behind Williams. 

Behind them, Uno-X are leading a peloton that's now very small.

30KM TO GO

Despite all this action, Andersen still has a lead of around one minute. His chance of success may hinge on how well this chase group works together.

Williams has eased up, meaning he, Van Gils, Carapaz, Buitrago and  Vauquelin are all together, about ten seconds ahead of the peloton.

Uno-X are well represented in the peloton, and have three riders contributing to the chase, but aren't making any inroads for now.

The chasing quintet is working well together, and have brought their defecit to Andersen down to 40 seconds. 

Right now the quintet of chasers are in the ascendency, closing in on Andersen and pulling away from the peloton. But, after all this action, this could yet all come back together.

There are plenty of big names in the peloton: Benoot, Cosnefroy, Madouas, Healy, Van Wilder,  Grégoire, Quinten Hermans and Axel Laurance are all present.

20M TO GO

Andersen is struggling now, and only has about 20 seconds on the peloton. The peloton remains another 20 seconds or so behind them.

Only one ascent of the Côte d'Ereffe to come before the finishing effort of Mur de Huy. What happens here could be pivotal in whether or not the race does indeed come back for the usual final bunch (albeit a very reduced on) sprint. 

The quintet have sat up and are waiting for the peloton. Andersen's still 18 seconds up the road, but surely his days too are numbered. 

15KM TO GO

They're on the Côte d'Ereffe. Will there be any more attacks?

A visibly tired Andersen is brought back on the climb by an Uno-X-led peloton. It was a fine effort for the Dane, and really enlivened the race.

It's Uno-X who lead the peloton to the top of the climb, setting a pace hard enough to prevent any attacks from even being attempted. 

There can't be much more than 30 riders left in the peloton. The usual uphill sprint finish might seem set to be the outcome after all, but the weather has made this a much harder (and, less face it, more entertaining) edition of this race than usual. 

10KM TO GO

Not everyone is happy to let this come down to a sprint - an Uno-X rider has just attacked.

He's been caught, and Visma-Lease a Bike have taken control of the peloton with Tim Van Dijk. They must be confident of Benoot's chances in a sprint. 

Incidentally, the weather is much nicer now, with no more rain falling. Most still have warm gear on, but the speedy pace is at least making the cold less of a factor.

It's going to be interesting to see which riders are the strongest on this climactic climb up Mur de Huy. Will Williams, Carapaz, Buitrago, Van Gils and Vauquelin be as strong as they were last time up, or are they no longer fresh after their work earlier? Have the likes of Cosnefroy, Benoot, Skujiņš, Healy, Hermans, Lapeira, Grégoire, Johannessen and Laurance reserved enough energy to unleash on it now? We’ll soon find out...

Just 1.5km until they start the climb.

Decathlon AG2R have numbers, and jostle towards the front on a corner.

Uno-X have even more riders, though, and all four of them are in single file at the front alongside them.

They're on the climb!

1KM TO GO

Decathlon lead on the lower slopes. 

Now Visma-Lease a Bike take over at the front with one of their three remainning riders.

Some riders are being dropped, but most bunched together.

Lidl's Skujiņš leads on the steep slopes.

Williams attacks!

He's got a gap...

Cosnefroy responds, but he's got a lot of ground to make up.

Vauquelin is coming!

Williams wins!

Williams took off about 400m from the line, taking everybody by surprise. They may have felt he'd gone too early, and indeed he was tiring majorly by the end, but just about managed to hang on.

Behind, Vanquelin finished second, only a bike-length behind ultimatley.

Further back, Van Gils sealed the final place on the podium in third.

The top ten in full:

1.Stevie Williams

2.Kevin Vanquelin at s.t.

3.Maxim Van Gils at 0-03

4.Benoît Cosnefroy 

5.Santiago Buitrago both at s.t.

6.Tobian Johannessen at 0-10

7.Romain Grégoire

8.Dorion Godon

9.Tiesj Benoot

10.Guillame Martin all at s.t.

Interestingly, four of the top five were riders who went clear on the previous ascent of Mur de Huy. In hindsight, it's clear keeping your power dry and reserving your energy wasn't a neccessary approach on this occasion. 

Dressed in a big coat that's warming him up, here's Williams at the finish:

"What a day. I'm so happy right now. I can't believe I just won Fleche! I've been watching this race for years and I've always wanted to come here with with with decent legs to try and win it. 

"Today with the weather - I do enjoy racing this kind of weather and to come away with a victory - I'm just over the moon. The boys backed me all day and they gave me the best chance to try and to result today and to come away with the win here is special, really special."

That’s undoubtedly a career best win for Williams. He’s been in great form this year, winning GC at the Tour Down Under and being up there in the punchy Volta a Catalunya sprints, but this is at a whole other level. His Welsh compatriot Luke Rowe was on co-commentary on the TV, and singled him out for the win once the weather took a turn for the worse - it seems he flourishes in these kind of horrible conditions.

These are also two very good results for the young riders either side of him on the podium.  Vauquelin only turns 23 next week, and runner-up here is a realisation of the talent he has shown many times already this year. For Van Gils, its a second major podium finish this spring following his very impressive third place at Strade Bianche.

Thanks for joining us today, for what was an unexpectedly thrilling edition of La Flèche Wallonne, ending with an unfancied winner. The weather made the race, and is making the women suffer too at the La Flèche Wallonne Femmes - make sure to follow all the action with us as it builds towards its conclusion.