Dylan Teuns wins the Flecha Wallona ahead of Alejandro Valverde

Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious) won the Walloon Arrow 2022 this Wednesday, April 20 after beat Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) in the final meters of the last and decisive ascent to the Wall of Huy. Teuns relieved Julian Alaphilippe in the winners of the Belgian classic.

The Belgian cyclist completed in 4 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds the route of 202.1 kilometers between Blegny and the Wall of Huy. Alejandro Valverde finished second at 2 secondswhile Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-hansgrohe) completed the podium after crossing the finish line in third position, with the same time as the Spanish cyclist.

A breakaway made up of ten runners animated the race until the last 10 kilometers. The group was reduced to five by the second pass over the Wall of Huy. impey (Israel-Premier Tech), Simon Guglielmi (Arkea), Armrail (Groupama-FDJ), Janssens (Alpecin) and Ferron (TotalEnergies) crowned the climb 55 seconds ahead of the peloton. The teams of the favorites to win the race went to work and brought down the breakaway.

The group of favorites came united to the final stretch. It was at the foot of the Wall, 1.3 kilometers from the finish line, that the movements began. Vansevenant, Rochas and Kragh Andersen made one last attempt that did not prosper. Carlos Verona tensed up for Valverde from afarlater took over Enric Mas, who stopped because his leader Alejandro Valverde was a little late. While Alaphilippe and Pogacar were marked in a second group, Valverde went forward and took a few meters ahead. It seemed that Valverde had the situation under controlbut Teuns appeared in the final meters to overtake the Spanish and win the victory. The Belgian avoided Alejandro Valverde’s sixth win at the Flecha Wallona. Vlasov took the last place on the podium.

The defending champion and double world champion Julian Alaphilippe had to settle for fourth placethe winner of the Itzulia Daniel Felipe Martínez entered fifth Y Tadej Pogacar was twelfth 7 seconds from Teuns.

FINAL CLASSIFICATION:

1-TEUNS Dylan (Bahrain) 4:42:12

2 – VALVERDE Alejandro (Movistar) +0:02

3 – VLASOV Aleksandr (BORA) mt

4 – ALAPHILIPPE Julian (Quick-Step) +0:05

5 – MARTINEZ Daniel Felipe (INEOS) +0:07

6 – WOODS Michael (Israel) mt

7 – GUERREIRO Ruben (EF Education) mt

8 – MOLARD Rudy (Groupama – FDJ) mt

9 – BARGUIL Warren (Team Arkéa) mt

10 -VUILLERMOZ Alexis (TotalEnergies) mt

11 – BENOOT Tiesj (Jumbo-Visma) mt

12 – POGACAR Tadej (UAE Team) mt