Cycling: Tadej Pogacar and Demi Vollering managed to win the Flèche Wallonne after the Amstel Gold Race at the weekend. The Slovenian and the Dutch were so impressive that there was no doubt about their success just a few meters from the finish line.
Pogacar just leaves them standing on the wall
After his impressive performance last weekend and in almost every race this season, it was almost to be expected: Tadej pogacar (UAE) also dominates the Flèche Wallonne. However, the competing teams have done far too little to counteract this. Up to the Mur de Huy, the two-time tour winner was able to get help from his teammates before he took over himself and simply drove away from all his opponents. There were no attacks from the captains of other teams, neither at the beginning of the wall nor in the climbs before. It almost seemed as if all the teams had just gone for second place right away. The Dane finally secured this, somewhat surprisingly Mattias Skjelmose (Trek – Segafredo) in front of the Spaniard Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious). The Swiss Mauro Schmid (Soudal – Quick-Step) was 16th.
Zimmermann in the breakaway
In some cases, eight drivers, including the German, made their mark George Zimmerman (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty), the events as outliers. Due to the tireless pace in the peloton, however, the fugitives had no chance of finishing the 194,2-kilometer race from Herve to the Mur de Huy in front of the favorite. The German was caught with around 16 kilometers to go while three pros were still in front of the peloton: Soren Kragh Andersen (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Samuele Battistella (Astana) and Louis Vervaeke (Soudal – Quick-Step), the former being the only one from the former eight-man first breakaway. When the UAE Team Emirates increased the pace in the Côte de Cherave with around seven kilometers to go, the breakaway's lead shrank. Only Vervaeke was able to stay ahead by a few seconds.
¡¡¡NADIE PUEDE WITH TADEJ POGACAR!!
✅✅❓ Se hace con la Flecha Valona: Dos de dos en el Triptico de las Ardenas y le falta la Lieja.
¡¡Y DON MIKEL LANDA MEANA, TERCERO!!! #LaCasadelCiclismo pic.twitter.com/EfPUIFya1E
- Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) April 19, 2023
Lippert only has to admit defeat to Vollering
The women's race was already over before it got exciting for the men. And there almost was a German winner. Then Liana Lippert (Movistar) drove behind Demi Vollering (SD – Worx) from the Netherlands was only five seconds behind in second place. The podium completes the Italian Gaia Realini (Trek – Segafredo). Vollering is thus celebrating her success in the Flèche Wallonne after her victory in the Amstel Gold Race. It was particularly impressive to see that she was able to increase her lead over her pursuers in the Mur de Huy without getting out of her saddle. Before that, she went on the offensive on the Côte de Cherave and broke up the peloton.
The victory of @demivollering na #flechewallone pic.twitter.com/k5sb0fz7FY
— O País do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) April 19, 2023