La Flèche Wallonne 2026, 22nd April

[Boehmand]

For me less exciting, I really don't care about battles between NPC teens who were training to be a pro from the womb, just not engaging at all. The sport is less interesting than ever. I may tune in for some remco arm waving thougj

I think the main difference is, that the top riders are avoiding each other to a greater degree than in the "old days".

Sunday they will all be there, apart from the anomaly Vingegaard who for some reason doesn't think he can do well there.

 

[BigCoward]

Too easy for Seixas. I don't think think Pog and Vinge can beat him at the Tour.

Lol, what?

 

[Netserk]

so sad we didnt get an interview at the finish with lenny sporting his moustache

 

[Netserk]

Premature hype grinds my gears. Guess that's a me problem.

muaddib has been consistently underhyped this year so far

 

[fenns]

great win - not often a rider stomps the field from the front to win this - more often it's the one who times it right

 

[RedheadDane]

so sad we didnt get an interview at the finish with lenny sporting his moustache

He does realise it was only Catalunya you - initially - needed to have a moustache to win at, right?

 

[Red Rick]

muaddib has been consistently underhyped this year so far

No Netserk, mega cringe nicknames aren't gonna alleviate the issue

 

[Alien Performance]

Premature hype grinds my gears. Guess that's a me problem.

obviously some people will always over do it but what do you think is an appropriate level of hype rn? I have him at 50%+ for TDF podium if 2024 Remco doesn’t return. Also think he has level for LBL, Worlds and Lombardia podiums but season is long and I wouldn’t be shocked if the end of the year is too much for him

 

[Didinho]

Got back from my ride. Beat some pro’s on a 7km Strava segment. Got comfy for the final and suddenly a call from Liège. Hard work always pays off. Pogi better be scared.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I don't agree with the second part, once you hit the narrow roads and the many spectators, it's impossible to pass unless someone loses a wheel and creates a gap you can go through, and that happens less at the bottom of the climb, where the gradients are lower.

Imo you cannot win the race if you are not in the first 15-20 when the climb starts.

From the pictures, it seemed that he had wiggle room to go left past Izagirre and some other riders on the section just before the switchback. As he didn't use this opportunity, the door for moving up was again shut and he had no where to go when Seixas and co. opened up. A shame really, as I think he is at least better on this sort of rampas than the likes of Mauro **** Schmid

 

[Netserk]

No Netserk, mega cringe nicknames aren't gonna alleviate the issue

its only cringe if your faith is weak

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Premature hype grinds my gears. Guess that's a me problem.

What, though, then is the appropriate hype for a just 19 year old who has 7 wins in 14 race days (5 WT), winning 2 one-day races, a time trial, 3 mass start stages and a one week race?

 

[ice&fire]

I don't know what to make of today looking forward to Liege. Pogacar won Fleche last year without barely getting out of the saddle. I haven't seen anything remotely similar today.

 

[Brullnux]

What, though, then is the appropriate hype for a just 19 year old who hast 7 wins in 14 race days (5 WT), winning 2 one-day races, a time trial, 3 mass start stages and a one week race?

Yeah, the worst he's realistically going to be is Evenepoel. It could be a bizarre flash in the pan but that's much, much more unlikely than him being Pogacar level.

Even last year, 3rd at the Euros and 7th in Lombardia. Not exactly a big stretch to say podium in Liege and Lombardia is likely

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

so sad we didnt get an interview at the finish with lenny sporting his moustache

Clearly the additional drag from the mustache weakened him today.

 

[Unchained]

muaddib has been consistently underhyped this year so far

As far as, overwhelming, second coming, dominant, Pog like, Paul Seixas jumping free at 300 meters was hardly earth moving, good win but hardly god like

 

[Netserk]

Clearly the additional drag from the mustache weakened him today.

he had a bet with the team and i think some on the team would have to grow moustaches if he won today

so i fear that he will have to remove it now that he lost

 

[Krzysztof_O]

The Messiah strikes again! Congrats on a big win. He was on the front almost all the time controlling the situation and his jump at the end was too good for the rest.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

he had a bet with the team and i think some on the team would have to grow moustaches if he won today

so i fear that he will have to remove it now that he lost

Well they should do it the other way around, everyone has to wear a (bad) moustache untill they've won a WT race.

 

[Pippo_San]

Incredibly low level.
It was such a nice race during the era of Michele Bartoli...

I mean friggin Ion Izagirre in 7th place...

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Damn' duties, missed the sprint.

 

[Red Rick]

obviously some people will always over do it but what do you think is an appropriate level of hype rn? I have him at 50%+ for TDF podium if 2024 Remco doesn’t return. Also think he has level for LBL, Worlds and Lombardia podiums but season is long and I wouldn’t be shocked if the end of the year is too much for him

Fairly clearly the 3rd best climber right now.

But I think putting him at Pogacar's future is over the top because riders develop at such different rates.

And I he doesn't get there, he doesn't add anything to races if he loses by default to Pogacar and wins by default against everyone else and then dodges Vingegaard outside the Tour.

 

[Rechtschreibfehler]

Damn' duties, missed the sprint.

It was more like a long drag, seriously little sprinting going on.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Wow if I have this right he’s fourth fastest all time up Mur de Huy after Alaphilippe, Valverde, and Roglic.

The asterisk being that Pogacar won with appalling ease in a slow time in bad conditions last year.

 

[Danskebjerge]

Skjelmose says in the post race interview that he thinks he could have won if the approach to the Mur had been better. I think this translates to him being second which is what the result does indicate. Skjelmose sees himself as being stronger than at least a couple of those riders that finished ahead of him.