Namur, a puncheurs' finale
The Grand Prix de Wallonie, with its finish located at the Citadel of Namur (2.9 km at 4.1%), offers an ideal terrain for puncheurs to shine. These riders are not as light as the great climbers, so they have no chance of winning in the high mountains, but they are also not as fast as the heavy sprinters, so flat terrain is not their specialty either. Puncheurs need short climbs where they can demonstrate their explosivity, and in these, they can produce impressive watts per kilo numbers. The climb to the Citadel of Namur is one of the best finishes of the year for this type of rider, who find their ideal terrain in the Belgian Ardennes.
Route
The race covers a total length of 202 kilometers and a positive elevation gain of 2800 meters. In fact, the entire race is a constant up and down that prepares the riders’ legs for the final climb, where the winner is usually decided.
Favorites
Maxim Van Gils (600), Clément Champoussin (400), Andreas Kron (400), Quinten Hermans (400), Axel Zingle (600), Vincenzo Albanese (400), Dylan Teuns (400), Mathieu Burgaudeau (400), Roger Adrià (200), Dries De Bondt (200), Filippo Baroncini (200), Tim Wellens (400), Emilien Jeannière (200), or last year’s winner, Gonzalo Serrano (200), are among the favorites.
Foto: © Grand Prix de Wallonie