La Flèche Wallonne 2024: Williams wins rain-soaked edition

foto: Cor VosStephen Williams wins a cold and rainy edition of La Flèche Wallonne with a late attack. He strikes on the last steep stretches of the Wall of Huy, just before entering the home straight, and holds off Kévin Vauquelin and Maxim Van Gils to take the win. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results La Flèche Wallonne 2024

1. Stephen Williams (gbr)
2. Kévin Vauquelin (fra) s.t.
3. Maxim Van Gils (bel) + 0.03
4. Benoît Cosnefroy (fra) s.t.
5. Santiago Buitrago (col) s.t.
6. Tobias Halland Johannessen (nor) + 0.10
7. Romain Grégoire (fra) s.t.
8. Dorian Godon (fra) s.t.
9. Tiesj Benoot (bel) s.t.
10. Guillaume Martin (fra) s.t.

Race report
Lilian Calmejane, Alan Jousseaume, James Whelan and Txomin Juaristi attack from the gun, while Igor Chzhan and Johan Meens rejoin them after a 15 minutes chase. The six carve out a 5 minutes lead.

The floodgates of heaven open up by the time the attackers enter the finishing circuit around Huy. It’s freezing cold.

The last attackers are caught with 68 kilometres remaining before Søren Kragh Andersen attacks from the remnants of the peloton on the plateau after the second climb up the Wall of Huy. Lots of pre-race favourites – Tom Pidcock, Dylan Teuns, Michael Matthews, David Gaudu – are among the riders who are out of contention due to the cold.

Kragh Andersen opens up a 1.30 minutes lead, while he enters the final bell lap 1 minute ahead of the first chaser, Stephen Williams. He waits for Richard Carapaz, Maxim Van Gils, Santiago Buitrago and Kévin Vauquelin.

The chasers are caught by a small peloton inside the last 17 kilometres before Kragh Andersen is brought back on the Côte d’Ereffe.

Despite the unusual development of the race, La Flèche Wallonne comes down to the final haul up the Wall of Huy. Stephan Williams jumps in genuine Valverde-style just before the climb evens out a little. He distances his rivals and has enough energy left to keep Kévin Vauquelin at bay, while Maxim Van Gils comes home in third position.

Other interesting reads: route and start list 2024 Flèche Wallonne.