La Flèche Wallonne
Encyclopedia
La Flèche Wallonne is a major men's professional cycle road race
held in April each year in Belgium
.
The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics
, La Flèche Wallonne (the Walloon Arrow) is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race
and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. At one time, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège were run on successive days as "Le Weekend Ardennais" (both races are organised by Amaury Sport Organisation
). Only seven riders have achieved the "Ardennes double" by winning both races in the same year: Ferdi Kubler twice (in 1951 and 1952), Stan Ockers
(1955), Eddy Merckx
(1972), Moreno Argentin
(1991) Davide Rebellin
(2004), Alejandro Valverde
(2006) and Philippe Gilbert
(2011).
', the race is widely regarded as a Classic, and featured on the UCI Road World Cup and UCI ProTour
. It became part of the UCI World Ranking
calendar in 2009.
Like many cycle race events, the course has altered considerably over the years, both in route and length. The event was first run on roads from Tournai
to Liège (growing from 236 km to 300 km - its longest ever distance - in 1938), after which Mons
became the starting point. From 1948, the race started at Charleroi
; from 1960 the event ran in the opposite direction, starting at Liège and finishing at Charleroi (or, from 1965, Marcinelle
). Some years have seen the event start and finish in the same place: Verviers
(1974–1978) or Huy
(1983–1985). From 1986, the race started in Spa
and finished in Huy. Since 1990, the race distance has not exceeded 210 km.
Today, the 199.5 km event starts in Charleroi and heads east to Huy, where the riders do three laps of a tough circuit including the steep Mur de Huy
(The wall of Huy) climb, with several sections steeper than 15%. The finish is at the top of the Mur after the third ascent.
Only four riders have won the race three times, two of them Belgian
s and two Italian
s. Indeed, Belgian riders dominated the early years of the event, winning the first 11 editions of the race, and slightly more than half of the editions in total (38 victories up to and including 2011). Italians have won the event 18 times.
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
held in April each year in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics
Ardennes classics
The Ardennes classics are three cycling classics held in mid-April in the Ardennes and Dutch Limburg. The races are notable for their hilly courses, and often have similar riders competing for the top positions as the races are held close after each other...
, La Flèche Wallonne (the Walloon Arrow) is today normally held mid-week between the Amstel Gold Race
Amstel Gold Race
The Amstel Gold Race is a road bicycle race held in the southern part of the province of Limburg, Netherlands. Since 1989 it has been among the races included in season long rankings tables, as part of the UCI Road World Cup , the UCI ProTour , UCI World Ranking and from 2011 the UCI World Tour...
and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. At one time, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège were run on successive days as "Le Weekend Ardennais" (both races are organised by Amaury Sport Organisation
Amaury Sport Organisation
The Amaury Sport Organisation is part of the French media group, EPA . It organises sporting events including the Tour de France and Paris–Nice professional cycle road races, and the Dakar Rally...
). Only seven riders have achieved the "Ardennes double" by winning both races in the same year: Ferdi Kubler twice (in 1951 and 1952), Stan Ockers
Stan Ockers
Constant Ockers was a Belgian professional racing cyclist.He was runner-up in the Tour de France in 1950 and 1952, and the best sprinter in that race in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he won the Classic "Ardennes double" by winning La Flèche Wallonne and the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in the same year...
(1955), Eddy Merckx
Eddy Merckx
Edouard Louis Joseph, Baron Merckx , better known as Eddy Merckx, is a Belgian former professional cyclist. The French magazine Vélo called him "the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known." The American publication, VeloNews, called him the greatest and most successful cyclist of all...
(1972), Moreno Argentin
Moreno Argentin
Moreno Argentin is an Italian former professional cyclist .Born in San Donà di Piave , he won stages in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de Suisse. Known as Il Capo , he won Liège–Bastogne–Liège four times, the La Flèche Wallonne three times and the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Giro...
(1991) Davide Rebellin
Davide Rebellin
Davide Rebellin is an Italian road bicycle racer, currently riding for the Italian Miche-Guerciotti team. He served a 2-year suspension for testing positive for Mircera at the 2008 Olympic Games...
(2004), Alejandro Valverde
Alejandro Valverde
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte is a Spanish road racing cyclist currently under suspension. He last rode for UCI ProTour team . Valverde's biggest wins have been the 2009 Vuelta a España, the Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2006, 2008 and 2006 UCI ProTour series championship...
(2006) and Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . Gilbert is a classics specialist...
(2011).
History
La Flèche Wallonne was created to boost the sales of a newspaper Les Sports during the 1930s and was first run in 1936. While perhaps not as revered as one of the Classic 'MonumentsClassic cycle races
The classic cycle races are one-day professional cycling road races in the international calendar. Most of the events, all run in western Europe, have been fixtures on the professional calendar for decades and the oldest ones date back to the 19th Century. They are normally held at roughly the same...
', the race is widely regarded as a Classic, and featured on the UCI Road World Cup and UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
. It became part of the UCI World Ranking
UCI World Ranking
The UCI World Tour is the premier annual male elite road cycling tour. It refers to both the tour of 27 events and an annual ranking system based upon performances in these...
calendar in 2009.
Like many cycle race events, the course has altered considerably over the years, both in route and length. The event was first run on roads from Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
to Liège (growing from 236 km to 300 km - its longest ever distance - in 1938), after which Mons
Mons
Mons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...
became the starting point. From 1948, the race started at Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
; from 1960 the event ran in the opposite direction, starting at Liège and finishing at Charleroi (or, from 1965, Marcinelle
Marcinelle
Marcinelle is a Walloon town in the Belgian province of Hainaut, it is currently a municipality within the Charleroi borders. Until 1977, the town was a municipality of its own....
). Some years have seen the event start and finish in the same place: Verviers
Verviers
Verviers is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. The Verviers municipality includes the old communes of Ensival, Lambermont, Petit-Rechain, Stembert, and Heusy...
(1974–1978) or Huy
Huy
Huy is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. Huy lies along the river Meuse, at the mouth of the small river Hoyoux. It is in the sillon industriel, the former industrial backbone of Wallonia, home to about two-thirds of the Walloon population...
(1983–1985). From 1986, the race started in Spa
Spa, Belgium
Spa is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. It is situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountain chain, some southeast of Liège, and southwest of Aachen. As of 1 January 2006, Spa had a total population of 10,543...
and finished in Huy. Since 1990, the race distance has not exceeded 210 km.
Today, the 199.5 km event starts in Charleroi and heads east to Huy, where the riders do three laps of a tough circuit including the steep Mur de Huy
Mur de Huy
The Mur de Huy is a high hill located in Huy, Belgium. It is also known as le Chemin des Chapelles because of the seven chapels along its route. This climb is famous for being part of the route of La Flèche Wallonne professional cycling race....
(The wall of Huy) climb, with several sections steeper than 15%. The finish is at the top of the Mur after the third ascent.
Only four riders have won the race three times, two of them Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
s and two Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
s. Indeed, Belgian riders dominated the early years of the event, winning the first 11 editions of the race, and slightly more than half of the editions in total (38 victories up to and including 2011). Italians have won the event 18 times.
Winners
Winners by Nationality
| # of Victories | Country |
|---|---|
| 38 | |
| 18 | |
| 8 | |
| 2 | |
| 2 | |
| 2 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 | |
| 1 |