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85th/24th La Flèche Wallonne, April 21st, 2021

Who will cross the finish line first according to the commissaires and the photo finish camera?


  • Total voters
    35
  • Poll closed .
It's time to find the fastest men and women to sprint up a climb in city with a population of approx. 21.000.

Former winners:
2010 Cadel Evans
2011 Philippe Gilbert
2012 Joaquim Rodríguez
2013 Daniel Moreno
2014 Alejandro Valverde
2015 Alejandro Valverde
2016 Alejandro Valverde
2017 Alejandro Valverde (a record 5th win)
2018 Julian Alaphilippe
2019 Julian Alaphilippe
2020 Marc Hirschi

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Women's Race:

Former winners:
2010 Emma Pooley
2011 Marianne Vos
2012 Evelyn Stevens
2013 Marianne Vos (5th win)
2014 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
2015 Anna van der Breggen
2016 Anna van der Breggen
2017 Anna van der Breggen
2018 Anna van der Breggen
2019 Anna van der Breggen
2020 Anna van der Breggen (a record 6th win)

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Last edited:
In a world where everything changes at a fast pace, it would be soothing if something like Valverde winning FW would continue to occur.
Ala's form has been off and besides Roglic and Hirschi only Pidcock is probably able to beat Valverde on this one. Experience counts a lot when it comes down to how you approach the climb and when you really go hard. Valverde seems to be able to do both of those things in his sleep and he's in the best shape since 2018.
 
Favourites:
It's difficult to predict the winners this year. Hirschi and Alaphilippe don't seem to be as strong as last year. Valverde is in shape, but he's still not winning sprints. Cosnefroy, Woods and Fuglsang haven't done too bad, but you still wouldn't expect them to win. Pidcock could win, but does de Mur fit him? Will the Slovenians be at the front for the 117th time? There's also Yates and Carapaz, or maybe it's finally time for Wellens to finish first and he has Gilbert to support him in the struggle. Disco Mauri is back in the race that gave him his first breaktrough. Guadu, Aranburu and Matthews also deserve to be mentioned. Guillaume Martin will finish just outside the top 10. The duo of Schelling and Schachmann will fight for revenge, Teuns and Mohoric will join in, Barguil, Higuita and old man Vanendert are also on the startlist.


Van der Breggen, the queen of de Mur, is not at her very best, and Demi Vollering could prove to be the best option for SD Worx again. She came close last year, and if she hadn't gone early, she may have finished second instead of third. Uttrup Ludwig will have a hard time getting a podium spot this year, Vos is on fine form, but is not the strongest uphill, Longo Borghini is probably the strongest on the climbs right now, but she isn't fast and the same goes for Niewiadoma. Van Vleuten has never won the race, Grace Brown can go away on her own, and Spratt can sprint. Moolman Pasio, García, Harvey, Winder, Paladin, Lippert and Deignan are all there as well.
 
Ala's form has been off and besides Roglic and Hirschi only Pidcock is probably able to beat Valverde on this one. Experience counts a lot when it comes down to how you approach the climb and when you really go hard. Valverde seems to be able to do both of those things in his sleep and he's in the best shape since 2018.
Not sure what Pidcock has shown so far on murs to put him down as one of the favorites. He's small, light and punchy, so i understand where it's coming from, but i think there have been some similar finishes where he was expected and didn't show up. He was put down as a favorite for the 2nd stage of Tour of the Alps, with a mur finish, and went MIA. I'm not saying he can't do this, but so far i haven't seem him do it.
 
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Last km should be interesting and GC guys have good chances this year (best puncheurs seem not in top form). A lot of people mention Roglic but Pogacar is explosive and quite fast as well. I rate their chances as similar. Maybe grandpa Alejandro will teach these pretenders a lesson again? That would be something. Judging by Horner's results his peak is about to come!
 
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