As it happened: French super talent wins La Flèche Wallonne on the Mur de Huy finish

Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of the men's La Flèche Wallonne. It's Wednesday but time for another great day of Ardennes Classic racing.

Join us for full coverage of all the action from the roads of Belgium. We'll cover the roll out, early attack, the big finale and all the post-race reaction.

The sun is out in Herstal, just north of Liege, as the riders sign-on.

This is the 90th edition of La Flèche Wallonne. This year the race begins in Herstal and again features three ascents of the Mur de Huy after 130.8km, 168km, and at the finish.

Jayco AlUla are the latest team to sign-on. Here comes Lenny Martinez of Bahrain Victorious. He is one of the many French favourites today.

Dani Ostanek wrote this special feature on the contender of this year's men's and women's Flèche Wallonne favourites. These are the names to watch today.

The kings and queens of the Mur de Huy – Analysing the contenders for La Flèche Wallonne

Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United) signs and speak to the crowd. He is a dangerous outsider after his forth place at Amstel Gold Race.

Of course, the biggest cheer is for new French favourite Paul Seixas. The Decathlon rider dominated the Itzulia Basque Country.

UAE Team Emirates are the next to sign on. There is no Tadej Pogačar today and so Benoît Cosnefroy is the expected team leader.

Cosnefroy was third at both De Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race and so is on form.

Last year's race was held in the cold and rain and Tadej Pogačar dominated with an unbeatable surge on the Mur de Huy.

Check out our full report of the 2025 race to understand what might happen today.

La Flèche Wallonne: Tadej Pogačar blasts to victory after rain soaked race

Tudor are the last to sign on with Julian Alaphilippe hailed as a former three-timer winner. Lulu wrars number. in today's race.

The riders are now lining up on the start line under blue skies, with a slight breeze. They face 200km of racing after a short neutralised sector.

Here we go! After a countdown, the riders roll out of Herstal, along the Meuse River, five kilometres north of Liège.

The riders cover 7.8km of neutralised roads, tucked in tight behind the red race directors car.

This year’s 90th edition of La Flèche Wallonne is the 42nd time that the race ends with the ascent of the Mur de Huy.

In recent years, new climbs have been added to the final kilometres and final circuits, with the Côte d'Ereffe adding another difficulty, even if the Mur de Huy is almost always the deciding climb from a large group.

These are the official climbs of the day but there are many more on the rolling roads of the Belgian Ardennes.

Côte de Trasenster at km 18.2

Côte des Forges at km 48.8

Côte d'Ereffe (2.1km at 5%) at km 116

Côte de Cherave (1.3 km at 8,1%) at km 128.7

Mur de Huy (1.3km at 9.6%) at km 134.4

Côte d'Ereffe (2.1km at 5%) at km 153.2

Côte de Cherave (1.3 km at 8,1%) at km 165.9

Mur de Huy (1.3km at 9.6%) at km 171

Côte d'Ereffe (2.1km at 5%) at km 190.4

Côte de Cherave (1.3 km at 8,1%) at km 203.1

Mur de Huy (1.3km at 9.6%) at km 208.8 (finish)

Allez! The flag drops the race is underway. 174 riders started today, with Alexey Lutsenko (NSN Cycling Team) the only. DNS.

Riders from TotalEnergies are the first to attack to try for spark an early breakaway.

Will one of these three be smiling at the finish?

An early two-rider move is caught but we can expect more attacks soon.

We have a new, more serious attack forming.

The peloton has let them go. There are six riders in the attack. Everyone in the peloton and up front will be happy with that.

The peloton can control the attack and the six will work together for their day out front.

The gap is up to 2:30. Now it will be fascinating to see who leads the chase and does the work on the front of the peloton.

180km to go

The attackers are: Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello-Q36.5), Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X), Vincent Van Hemelen (Flanders-Baloise), Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Jardi Christiaan van der Lee (EF Education-EasyPost), Alan Jousseaume (TotalEnergies).

And here is the first shot from our race photographer.

UAE, Tudor and Lidl-Trek are leading the peloton, to control the breakaway.

Last year Tadej Pogacar was the big favourite and won on thev Mur de Huy. This year the race is wide open and we're expecting a far more balanced race, with perhaps attacks before the final climb to the finish.

"There are six or seven riders who could realistically claim victory. It’s hard to imagine how some teams are going to play their cards. Some may send riders up the road before the last climb," Jean-Michel Monin of race organiser ASO suggested.

"The final circuit is very hard for a breakaway to stay clear of the bunch. The escapees would need to open a big gap in the first climb atop the Wall if they are to fight for the win later on.

"Afterwards, the Mur de Huy is pretty straightforward - the best rider wins. It is the most beautiful finale of the season."

The riders are about to climb the Côte de Trasenster (3.3km at 5.3%), it is the first official climb of the race.

170km to go

The peloton rides steady on the climb, keeping the gap at 2:40.

Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) is the youngest rider on the La Flèche Wallonne start list at 19 years and 210 days old. Will he become the youngest to ever win this race, too?

The French fans hope so snd many consider him the big favourite but he is a little more cautious.

"I don’t share that point of view,” the promising French rider during a press conference on Tuesday.

"I am coming to La Flèche Wallonne just to test myself in this type of effort. We are going to try and score the best possible result, but I’m under no obligation to win."

Siexas is strong, we all know that, including his rivals, but he perhaps does not have the power punch needed to make a late attack on the Mur de Huy.

Perhaps he will try to make the race hard, go eaelier, or go at the foot of the Mur. He has been training on his attacks.

"I specifically worked on this before Pays Basque. I don’t know how good I will be compared to the rivals I’ll face in Huy, but I know I can do well." he said.

"My real goal is to find out what my place is in this type of effort, and in this race. I’m going to learn what the Mur de Huy is really like, and where it is better to launch an attack. I want to see how it goes and grab any chance that may come my way."

We can see that now Ineos and Seixas' Decathlon teammates are leading the peloton. Nobody wants the six attackers to open a big lead.

The attackers have an advantage on the rolling roads. They can select their lines and descend safely, but at speed.

150km to go

The attackers lead by 3:00.

It's a fast start to the race, as the lined-out peloton proves. The average speed for the first hour was 44.194 km/h!

The race is now speeding south-west of Liege and towards Huy for the key climbs and circuits.

140km to go

Four different riders from Lidl-Trek, Tudor, UAE and Ineos are leading the peloton, with the Decathlon team lined-out just behind them to protect Paul Siexas but also to show their intentions.

The French love Paul Siexas but also cheer for Kévin Vauquelin and he could challenge for the win today.

"Kévin is quite strong in this type of effort, and he has been second in the last two editions of this race, so I think he will definitely be up there," Seixas predicted.

Vauquelin was 5th in the Volta ao Algarve, 4th in Paris-Nice, 10th in the Tour of the Basque Country. He crashed at the Amstel Gold Race but is okay.

"Luckily he came away just fine. He just lost a bit of skin, and is still in good shape. We are hoping for the best, and looking forward to having a good fight out there," his Ineos DS Christian Knees said.

"We won’t target a specific result because we don’t want to put any pressure on Kévin or the rest of the team."

Vauquelin will have support from French national champion Dorian Godon.

120km to go

The peloton is chasing hard but the six attackers are also going full gas to hold onto their lead of 2:50 as they dive through the lanes of the Ardennes hills.

There is no easing up in the racing as the rider speed towards Huy and the hills of the final circuit.

It's a triple race day and Cyclingnews also has full live updates from the La Flèche Wallonne Femmes. Click below to follow the action. The women's race ends an hour after the men's race, with the same Mur de Huy finish.

La Flèche Wallonne Femmes LIVE: Puck Pieterse out to defend her title on the mythical Mur de Huy

Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE) needs a bike change and Tim Wellens is on super domestique duty to help him rejoin the peloton.

He will soon be back but faces an effort to move back up to the front on the peloton.

The controlled moment of the race gives out photographers tine to make some art in the Ardennes fields.

We especially like this one.

110km to go

The attackers push on, extending their gap to 3:00.

The finishing circuit begins with the Côte d'Ereffe (2.2km à 5.2%) with 90km to go.

The riders in the break have little time to enjoy the views across the fields of the Ardennes.

As the Côte d'Ereffe nears, Decathlon have upped the pace in the peloton dramatically.

The break os only at 2:00.

100km to go

The peloton passes through the feed, some grabbing bidons, others checking in on teammates.

The race is about to come alive on the approach to the Côte d'Ereffe.

The attackers start the Côte d'Ereffe. Here we go!

The Pinarello riders mass on the front but so does Bahrain for Martinez and Alpecin.

Tim Wellens protects Benoît Cosnefroy up front, as Ineos also move up to the front.

Will anyone sattack on the climb?

Riders grab bidons over the top of the climb.

Côte d'Ereffe

The peloton is timed at 1:50 at the summit of the Côte d'Ereffe.

The riders enjoy a nice tailwind after tirning right over the top of the climb.

90km to go

The hard, hilly racing is hurting some in the attack.

Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural), Jardi Christiaan van der Lee (EF Education) are forced to fight back onto the wheels as the road kicks-up again after the Côte d'Ereffe.

The first climb of the Mur de Huy is just 15km away.

The break's lead drops below 2:00.

Next up is the steep Côte de Cherave (1.4km à 7.6%). It will hurt.

All the overall contenders and their teammates are on the front of the peloton on the Côte de Cherave. Positioning is now vital as the Mur de Huy nears. The approach is fast via a descent.

75km to go

The break blasts along the Muse river in Huy. The race cars are sent ahead as the gap falls to 1:45. It will surely be evenb less after the 1.4km, 9.1% Mur de Huy climb.

The six breakaways are on the Mur de Huy and are cheered on by the huge crowd.

Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X) leads the break on the steepest parts of the Mur.

The peloton is also fighting the gradient of the Mur. They're trying to pace their effort and trying to hold a good position.

As the gradient eases, Raúl García Pierna (Movistar) attacks to try split the peloton. He has opened up the race.

This is interesting, as other teams respond.

Sadly Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) is at the back and has been dropped. He won the race three times but seems to be struggling this year.

70km to go

There only five riders in the breakaway after Vincent Van Hemelen (Flanders-Baloise) was dropped.

However the surges behind to former a counter-attack have cut their lead to 1:10.

Cross winds on the flat roads on the hilltop are also a factor.

The peloton regroups but Movistar kicks it off again.

They're trying to create a hard race and perhaps avoid a big group ride to the final climb of the Mur de Huy.

Look at the crowds.

60km to go

The attackers lead is down to 1:00.

The riders are back on the Côte d'Ereffe climb as they start the second of three loops of the hilly final circuit.

UAE seem ready to take over on the front of the peloton.

50km to go

The peloton is back together after the attacks. They seem to be letting the break hang out front at 1:20.

The next climb up the Mur de Huy will reveal a lot more.

The race hits the Côte de Cherave (4km at 7.6%). The break rides on but the attacks from the peloton will surely come too.

The gap to the break isa below 1:00 and so race director's car moves ahead, the gap could go below 30 seconds at the top.

Riders are spat out of the peloton over the top of the climb. The speed stays high on the descent.

Crash!

Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) and Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull - BORA - Hansgrohe) go down at speed on the descent.

The Kiwi perhaps hit a bump in the road and a pole.

40km to go

The break is back along the banks of the Muse river. Everything is happening much faster as the speed stays over 50km/h now.

It's time for the second climb of the Mur de Huy.

The Mur de Huy.

Pavel Sivakov is leading the peloton up the Mur de Huy. Other riders are trying to save their legs by spinning a gear. But the Mur de Huy still hurts.

37km to go

The bell rings out signalling there is one lap of the hilly circuit to go before the final climb of the Mur de Huy.

There are still a hundred or so riders in the peloton.

Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X) is still chasing the peloton after his crash and bike change.

They will make it but it has been a big effort and Tobias Halland Johannessen still needs to get back on his own bike.

Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X) and Jardi Christiaan van der Lee (EF Education) are up front, with Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural) chasing, as the peloton cuts the gap to 40 seconds.

Tobias Halland Johannessen gets his bike change and rejoins the peloton. Now he has to move up to the front.

He was an outsider for today but that chase will have hurt him and scared him.

30km to go

It's time for the last few moments across the yellow rapeseed fields of the Ardennes. The climbs will come again very soon.

There is some wind from riders' right and so Lidl-Trek are trying to hurt the peloton by riding a half-road echelon.

This will cause some problems. Indeed the peloton is lined out and suffering.

The riders in the break refuse to give up the fight.

Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X), Jardi Christiaan van der Lee (EF Education) and Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello-Q36.5) keep working together to defend their 30 second lead.

Where will they be caught? As late as the Mur de Huy?

We will find out on the Côte d'Ereffe (2.2km at 5.2%) the first of the three climbs of the loop.

Crash! Hirschi is involved.

Brandon Riviera also crashed plus Anton Schiffer (Visma), who dived into the ditch.

Hirschi seemed to hurt his left shoulder.

Axel Laurance of Ineos is running down the road as he awaits for a bike change. He gave his bike to team leader Kévin Vauquelin!

Another crash, on a climb, splits the peloton and slows a number of riders. The crashes will also raise the tension in the peloton.

15km to go

Up front, Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X) has gone solo from the attack. The peloton is at 30 seconds.

Kévin Vauquelin is at the back of the peloton and does not seem to want to change bikes again and risk losing time and position.

Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X) fights on off the front.

Next up is the Côte de Cherave (1.4km at 7.6%), the penultimate climb of the race. The Mur de Huy is, of course, the last climb, with the finish line at the top.

10km to go

The Decathlon team hits the front to protect Paul Seixas and hold a good position. Other teams are doing the same.

Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X) leads on to the Côte de Cherave but he takes a drink and is quickly caught.

What a great ride but he caught 7.5km from the finish.

Now it is time to fight for position before the dash to the Mur de Huy and the climb to the line.

We will soon see what Paul Seixas can do and if anyone can beat him on the Mur de Huy.

This was Axel Laurance's Froome-like run for a new bike.

There are 60 or so riders in the peloton as they dive down to the river Muse for the climb to the Mur de Huy finish.

Red Bull take over leading the peloton but Decathlon are there too, protecting Seixas.

Other teams try to move up for the final corners before the climb. Position is everything now.

To win a rider needs to be in the leading ten places when the Mut de Huy starts.

Jan Tratnink leads for Red Bull, chasing Costiou of Groupama.

Last Kilometre on the Mur de Huy

Here we go!

Sixas is at the front. Perfect. His rivals are there too.

Ben Tullett is there for Visma.

Paul Siexas hits the steepest part and surges!

Paul Seixas wins !

Seixas sits up, points to his chest and celebrates another superb victory.

Chapeau to the 19-year-old new super star.

Are you watching Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel? Liege-Bastogne-Liege will be one hell of a race.

Siexas led from the front and had the power and lungs to open a gap on his rivals.

Siexas was under pressure to live up to expectations but he did so with class and dominance.

Here is the winning shot!

The initial results show that Mauro Schmid (Jayco) came up late to finish second, with Ben Tulett (Visma) third and Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE) was fourth.

This shot shows the emotions of Paul Seixas as he celebrates victory.

Wow! What have we just seen once again? This is the start of the Paul Seixas era.

The French rider is still 19 and so is the youngest ever winner of the race.

We are seeing racing, performances and levels of talent that we perhaps saw with Eddy Merckx, Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and few others.

This is the moment Paul Seixas won. He was hurting but happy.

Paul Seixas explained how he won.

"The last climb was hard. I tried to pace it, to use my power because I know I'm strong when it's hard," he said.

"I wanted to judge myself and judge the others to see how I'd manage to do it. I felt I was reality strong and so I made my effort with 300 metres to go.

"I saw they were struggling behind, so I just went full gas to the line."

Read our full race report to understand how the 2026 Flèche Wallonne unfolded and how Siexas won it.

La Flèche Wallonne: Paul Seixas delivers on his promise with commanding victory

Thanks for following our full live coverage of today's men's race. We'll be back on Sunday for full coverage of Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

With Paul siexas on fire and Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel also in action, it should be a great final spring Classic.

Join us for all the action.

This is the podium of the 2026 Flèche Wallonne.

It's a fascinating final podium with three different stories for the three riders.