2025 La Flèche Wallonne Recap

Author

Conor Wall
April 23, 2025

🚴‍♂️ Cycling Talk Weekly

2025 La Flèche Wallonne Recap

🌧️ Race Day Conditions

The 89th edition of La Flèche Wallonne served up a true Ardennes Classic:

  • 205.1 km from Ciney to Huy

  • Three brutal ascents of the Mur de Huy

  • Cold rain, slick roads, and 11°C temps made for a grueling day

🔥 Early Breakaways

An eight-man group, featuring riders from INEOS, Uno-X, and Arkéa, animated the first half of the race.
However, a nasty crash ~40 km from the finish took down several riders, including Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) and Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step).
The break was caught before the final circuits as UAE, Soudal Quick-Step, and Lidl-Trek lined up their leaders.

⚡ Mur de Huy Showdown

With 7 km to go, the peloton swept up the last of the escapees.
On the final climb, Ben Healy launched early, but Tadej Pogačar — wearing the World Champion's rainbow jersey — delivered a devastating seated attack at 400 meters to go.

None could match him.

Pogačar soloed to victory on the steep, slick Mur de Huy, celebrating with time to spare.

🏆 Top 10 Results

Place

Rider

Team

Time

1

Tadej Pogačar

UAE Team Emirates

4h50’15”

2

Kévin Vauquelin

Arkéa-B&B Hotels

+0:10

3

Tom Pidcock

Q36.5 Pro Cycling

+0:12

4

Lenny Martinez

Bahrain Victorious

+0:13

5

Ben Healy

EF Education-EasyPost

+0:13

6

Santiago Buitrago

Bahrain Victorious

+0:16

7

Romain Grégoire

Groupama-FDJ

+0:16

8

Thibau Nys

Lidl-Trek

+0:16

9

Remco Evenepoel

Soudal Quick-Step

+0:16

10

Mauro Schmid

Team Jayco AlUla

+0:19

🗣️ Quotes from the Finish Line

Tadej Pogačar:

“The Mur is beautiful... but as a cyclist, it’s such a tough finish. I saw Ben Healy jump, but when I accelerated and looked back, no one was there.”

Kévin Vauquelin:

"Another second place, but against Tadej today, there was no stopping him."

Tom Pidcock:

"Third place feels good on a climb like this. Happy with the legs."

🔍 Race Analysis

  • Pogačar’s supremacy was unmatched — delivering another masterclass on a wall he now dominates.

  • Young guns shine: Vauquelin, Martinez, and Healy proved the future of punchy classics is in good hands.

  • Evenepoel’s struggles: The Belgian couldn’t follow when it mattered most, setting up a revenge mission for Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

🔮 What’s Next?

All eyes now turn to Liège-Bastogne-Liège this Sunday.

  • Can Pogačar repeat and complete the Ardennes sweep?

  • Will Evenepoel find redemption on home roads?

  • Will a surprise outsider like Pidcock or Vauquelin upset the favorites?

Stay tuned — the Ardennes fireworks are far from over!