It had to be a Welsh cyclist who won the very difficult edition of Walloon Arrow. The 88th edition was a bit shorter than other years, where for the first time the number was raised four times. Wall of Huy and where is the 2023 winner, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar decided not to defend his success from last year and focus on Liège-Bastogne-Liège next weekend, expanding the number of contenders for victory.
But the Welshman is not among all the candidates. Stephen Williamswho knows how to read a second quote of Ardennes Classicand successfully emerge from all adverse situations that affected the trial.
The Walloon Arrow It started in the sun, but it turned to rain and cold in the blink of an eye, reducing and punishing a peloton where 130 cyclists went down, with the team even wiped out. Intermarché absolute and which saw the premature abandonment of favorites such as Tom Pidcock, Marc Hirschi, Juan Ayuso, Joao Almeida, Mattias Skjelmose, Brandon McNulty, Dylan Teuns or David Gaudu.
The danish Kragh Andersen He tried to take advantage of the terrible situation and led the race for many kilometers, until 28 kilometers later his adventure was neutralized by a small group of runners from which the winner would emerge. A group of about 40 cyclists among which is the Catalan from Bora Roger Adriàwith a ONE-X very well represented and with a Richard Carapaz and a Santiago Buitrago who looks in good shape to compete for the win.
ONE-X tried to move the classic in the last kilometers, but there was a lot of looting at the finish line in a Wall of Huy (1.5 kilometers at 9.9% average slope and 20% ramp) where again the Walloon Arrow.
In the game of glances the tension is palpable. All the cyclists who wanted victory, having shed their coats, calculated when to attack when the Welshman Williams He was surprised by all the deadly attacks about 300 meters from the finish. No one went to him at first and these meters he gained at the start were the key for him to finally win the Flecha Wallona,his second victory of the season after Santos Tour Down Under where he also took overall, and eighth as a professional.
Big success for Stephen Williamswho became the first British winner of Walloon Arrowdays after his team, Israel-Premier Tech it will be renewed until December 31, 2025, which also requires a prestigious victory and some good points in the race to become a team again World Tour.
CLASSIFICATIONS
1. Stephen Williams (GBR/IPT) 4h40:24.
2. Kévin Vauquelin (FRA/ARK) at 0.
3. Maxim Van Gils (BEL/LTD) 3.
4. Benoît Cosnefroy (FRA/ACT) 3.
5. Santiago Buitrago (COL/TBV) 3.
6. Tobias Johannessen (NOR/UXT) 10.
7. Romain Grégoire (FRA/GFC) 10.
8. Dorian Godon (FRA/ACT) 10.
9. Tiesj Benoot (BEL/TJV) 10.
10. Guillaume Martin (FRA/COF) 10.
Source: La Verdad
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