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As every year, La Flèche Wallonne is the second of the three Ardennes classics, and it is undoubtedly the one with the most predictable outcome. The finish line is placed at the top of the fearsome Wall of Huy (1 km at 11.5%), and this greatly conditions the race, which usually arrives grouped at the foot of the wall, where the world's best punchers face off in a showdown of pure strength.

Men's Race: Route and Favorites

The route of the men's race covers 198 kilometers with 2700 meters of accumulated positive elevation. The entire final part is contested on a local circuit, which involves four passes on the famous Wall of Huy (1 km at 11.5%) and on the Côte D’Ereffe (2 km at 5.6%). Nevertheless, the last kilometer leads the teams of the main favorites to control the breakaways, so the usual outcome is that a big peloton make it to the foot of the wall.

Thomas Pidcock (1000), Mattias Skjelmose (1000), Benoît Cosnefroy (400), Marc Hirschi (600), Tiesj Benoot (400), Velentin Madouas (600), Maxim Van Gils (400), Andrea Bagioli (400), Romain Grégoire (400), Pello Bilbao (1000), Dylan Teuns (600), Michael Woods (600), Guillaume Martin (800), Ben Healy (400), Warren Barguil (400), Juan Ayuso (1000), and Kévin Vauqelin (400) are some of the main favorites.

Women's Race: Route and Favorites

The mileage of the women's race is 146 km with 2124 meters of positive elevation. The women's race includes two laps on the circuit instead of the four of the men's race, but this does not change the picture and the race is also usually decided on the final climb to the Wall of Huy.

Demi Vollering (1200), Elisa Longo Borghini (1200), Katarzyna Niewiadoma (1000), Ceclie Uttrup Ludwig (1000), Soraya Paladin (600), Mavi Garcia (800), Christina Schweinberger (200), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (1000), Gaia Realini (600), Juliette Labous (1000), Elise Chabbey (1000), Marta Cavalli (800), Fem Van Empel (200), and Ricarda Bauernfeind (400) are the main favorites present on the women’s start list.

Photo: © La Flèche Wallonne