Valverde wins La Fleche Wallonne 2015

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Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) defended his La Flèche Wallonne title with a gutsy performance on the Mur de Huy. The Spaniard led from the front on the final climb and held off the challenges from Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep) and Michael Albasini (Orica GreenEdge) to win by a clear margin.

The win marked the Spaniard's third win the race and came after Movistar reeled in a late attack from Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), who broke clear on the penultimate climb of the Côte de Cherave, and survived into the final 500 metres.

Valverde used the catch of Wellens as the moment to confidently move to the front of the strung out group of favourites, and as the gradient began to bite world champion and pre-race favourite Michał Kwiatkowski started to lose ground.

The Katusha pairing of Dani Moreno and Joaquim Rodriguez desperately tried to hang onto Valverde’s coattails but they were too far back to respond, with the only the well-placed Albasini and surprise runner-up Alaphilippe able to muster any form of a challenge.

The Frenchman was too good for Albasini but by the time Valverde looked back he was clear of the rest and had plenty of time to savour another La Flèche Wallonne victory.

The race was, however, marred by series of crashes with former winner Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing) forced to abandon. There were other falls for Daniel Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) and former Tour de France winner Chris Froome (Team Sky).

The addition of the Côte de Cherave, coming just before the Mur de Huy, played a part in reducing the depth of the field before the final climb of the Mur but Movistar and Valverde were never troubled, blending a mix of attack and defence that saw Giovanni Visconti form a dangerous late counter attack with Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) before the last two climbs.

Attacks from Vincenzo Nibali, Tejay van Garderen and Wellens soon followed but Movistar – with help from Lampe Merida, who were working for Rui Costa – neutralized anything that attempted to establish a lead.

How it unfolded

Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Mike Teunissen (Team LottoNL-Jumbo), Brice Feillu (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Jérôme Baugnies (Wanty - Groupe Gobert), Reinier Honig (Team Roompot), Daniele Ratto (UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling), and Pieter Vanspeybrouck (Topsport) formed the day’s early break, jumping clear inside the opening 10 kilometres and establishing a healthy eight-minute lead over the peloton.

In near-perfect conditions the peloton eased into the task of organising a chase with Katusha and Movistar the first to oblige with turns on the front. Their efforts were merely to keep the break in check, rather than prepare an organised and concerted chase as up ahead De Gendt used his experience to set a steady pace on the opening climbs.

As the peloton approached the Mur de Huy for the first time Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) crossed wheels with Machado. The Irishman gingerly returned to his feet, and eventually the bunch, but his challenge was effectively over.

Team Sky made their presence at the front felt with British road champion Peter Kennaugh setting the pace for the peloton and the gap the break slipping to a more manageable five minutes.

Honig and Teunissen were unceremoniously dropped from the break soon after but the five remaining riders pressed on as Katusha, Etixx-QuickStep and Movistar emerged as the teams willing to control a more determined chase.

Disaster struck for Gilbert, when like Martin, he was taken down in another avoidable fall – the peloton visibly bunching together with parked cars either side of the road. Lars Petter Nordhaug, Wouter Poels (Sky), Ben King (Garmin-Cannondale), Amael Moinard (BMC) and Anthony Roux (FDJ) were caught in the next fall.

Up ahead, the five remaining leaders started the Mur’s second ascent with just a 50-second buffer on a rampaging peloton and by the time they crested the summit only Thomas De Gendt and Jerome Baugnies remained clear.

Visconti and Luis Leon Sanchez took the opportunity to drift clear of the bunch and latch onto the two leaders as they powered down the descent and the newly formed group established a twenty-second lead. With Movistar and Astana taking a breather, it fell to Katusha and Etixx to control the peloton.

On the slopes of the Ereffe, Tejay van Garderen accelerated clear but his efforts were in vain – unable to catch the leaders, he was swallowed up before the penultimate climb – the race’s new addition of the Côte de Cherave.

Visconti and Sanchez started the ascent with a slender lead and it was Nibali was attacked from the bunch first. He simply brought the pack closer to the leaders and provided Wellens with the platform to hit the peloton at the right moment.

Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) tried to give chase but the Italian was unable to keep Wellens in his sights as the Lotto Soudal rider led into the foot of the Mur.

The lead was no more than 15 seconds but any hope of a Lotto win were dashed as the gradient rose. Wellens’ fluidity in pedal stroke was instantly lost, as Lampre and Movistar gathered at the front of the peloton.

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