La Flèche Wallonne 2022, one day race, April 20

[Eyeballs Out]

Valverde wins that race 100% of the time if he were even a couple of years younger

I think he wins it had he not got sick a few weeks ago and had an interrupted prep

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Woods really needs to work on his placing, every year he starts the mur in 30th position to end up around 5th place.

That's a lost cause.

 

[ppanther92]

Couldn't or wouldn't? Yeah, he should have had the Mauri role.

I guess he couldn't because what otherwise was the purpose of "waiting" on Ala?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Probably even 1 year younger. Last year he was beaten only by Alaphilippe and Roglic at their absolute best

And his position at the start of the climb was worse last year.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

And his position at the start of the climb was worse last year.

I remember him moving up on the pavement next to the road! Eternal Bala!

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Pog tried the old Dan Martin and blew up, I was sure he was going to zoom past them when he started moving up the outside. One of the few occasions when the relative weakness of his team has had an impact.

 

[Boes]

Teuns wins on Planche des Belles filles
Teuns wins on le grand-bornand
Teuns finished top 10 in RVV.

Clearly he's the new Pogacar. Move over wunderboy.

 

[gunara]

Lol Pogacar dropped everyone by losing Vlasov's wheel. And Teuns is no surprise at all, once some thought that this kind of finale was all he could be good at after all.

 

[Bonimenier]

I guess he couldn't because what otherwise was the purpose of "waiting" on Ala?

He wasn't waiting for Ala. His role was to bring Ala to the front at the base of the mur, but Ala didn't follow.

 

[movingtarget]

I am just going to assume everyone was sick!!!!

LOL. Chapeau Teuns!!!

Must be Covid..................

 

[ppanther92]

Btw., will we ever see 2020 Hirschi again? Doesn't look like it.

 

[Escarabajo]

Valverde wins that race 100% of the time if he were even a couple of years younger

You mean when Julian Alaphilippe won?

 

[Samamba]

Pog tried the old Dan Martin and blew up, I was sure he was going to zoom past them when he started moving up the outside. One of the few occasions when the relative weakness of his team has had an impact.

He already looked in pain when he was moving up. A good Pog doesn't breath.

 

[Fantastico]

Probably even 1 year younger. Last year he was beaten only by Alaphilippe and Roglic at their absolute best

Last year he was also in a very bad position at the start of the Mur. Similar to Pogacar today. If that's the case you have to spend way too much energy to move up, so you lack a lot of power in the last 300 metres.

 

[KZD]

Either Pogačar's shape is dropping or he is paid the fact that he didn't race Itzulia

 

[Escarabajo]

Btw., will we ever see 2020 Hirschi again? Doesn't look like it.

That was special year, you know!

 

[Amazinmets87]

What a finish! Disappointing finale by Pogacar (his first weaker moment this year) and Alaphilippe. I think they were maybe a bit too far at the bottom and were looking at each other too much (Ala may have payed for it). Congrats to Teuns but what a pity that Grandpa didn't win! He was about to pass Dylan but decided to let him win, what a gentleman. I still remember his MtVentoux heroics (victory given to Szmyd).

Uh, he didn't decide to let him win.

 

[Boes]

Btw., will we ever see 2020 Hirschi again? Doesn't look like it.

Yeah, him being fired by DSM after that year and then never performing again. Weird story.

 

[Amazinmets87]

You mean when Julian Alaphilippe won?

I mean Valverde several years younger vs the top performers of this years edition

 

[Mayomaniac]

I think he wins it had he not got sick a few weeks ago and had an interrupted prep

Yes, but everyone seems to get sick at some point this year, so we can hardly use that one as an excuse.

 

[movingtarget]

Woods really needs to work on his placing, every year he starts the mur in 30th position to end up around 5th place.

If it finished on a downhill he'd go even worse..........

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Either Pogačar's shape is dropping or he is paid the fact that he didn't race Itzulia

Not the first time he's underwhelmed the Wednesday before a monument, the same thing happened at Milano-Torino last year and this exact race the year before that. It's more likely that either he needs the race to be at his best on the weekend, or he's trying to tank the expectations a little so that he isn't the sole focal point of everyone's tactics.

 

[dercuforever]

Time is around 2'45'' from the 1km banner to the finish line.
I don't know what is the usual distance for those mesurements though.

 

[Bonimenier]

I mean Valverde several years younger vs the top performers of this years edition

What a controversial statement to claim someone would have won the race if he was a couple of years younger, when he in fact did win the race several times when he was a couple of years younger.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Either Pogačar's shape is dropping or he is paid the fact that he didn't race Itzulia

He's been in great form since the start of March so it's kinda expected that it should drop at some point (to build the 2nd peak for July). We'll see at Liege - he still can win it, even without his best form.