Once again, victory eludes the French in a classic. They are often very close but that does not want to smile. This time, Dylan Teuns, Belgian rider from the Bahrain-Victorious team, won at the top of the Huy wall and won this 2022 edition of the Flèche Wallonne, at his home in Belgium, this Wednesday. Alejandro Valverde, five times winner of the race, finished 2nd for his last participation, at 41 years old. The Russian Aleksandr Vlasov completes the podium. First French, Julian Alaphilippe, fails in fourth place.
A race which, as often, was decided at the end of a very tight final. The peloton was indeed still grouped in the attack of the last kilometer, after having covered more than 3,400 meters of elevation in 202 kilometers. After an attack from Dylan Teuns, only Valverde managed to stay in his wheel. Julian Alaphilippe was in the wheel of Tadej Pogacar, the last winner of the Tour de France, a stone’s throw from the head of the race. He managed to overtake the Slovenian in the last 200 meters of the wall, but failed to catch the race lead.
In front, Alejandro Valverde, well led by Enric Mas, managed to come back up to Dylan Teuns, he probably even believed for a moment in victory but the Belgian was really too strong. The Spaniard still finished second but therefore failed to win a sixth Flèche Wallonne, 16 years after his first victory in the exercise.
In addition to Alaphilippe, three other French people finish in the Top 10: Rudy Molard is 8th, ahead of Warren Barguil, 9th, and Alexis Vuillermoz, 10th. The Tricolores will have an opportunity to catch up on Sunday, during Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
