La Flèche Wallonne

For the women's event, see La Flèche Wallonne Féminine.

La Flèche Wallonne
Race details

Date	Late April
Region	Wallonia, Belgium
English name	Walloon Arrow
Local name(s)	La Flèche Wallonne (French)
Discipline	Road
Competition	UCI World Tour
Type	One-day
Organiser	Amaury Sport Organisation
History
First edition	1936 (1936)
Editions	79 (as of 2015)
First winner	Philippe Demeersman (BEL)
Most wins	Alejandro Valverde (ESP) (4 wins)
Most recent	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)

La Flèche Wallonne (pronounced: [la flɛʃ walɔn], French for "The Walloon Arrow")^[1] is a major men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium.

The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne 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 twice (in 2006 and 2015) and Philippe Gilbert (2011).

History

The 2011 La Flèche Wallonne route

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 'Monuments', 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% and up to 26% on one section. The finish is at the top of the Mur after the third ascent.

Alejandro Valverde has one the race a record four times. Four riders have won the race three times, two of them Belgians,and two Italians. 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

		Rider	Team
1936	BEL !	Demeersman, PhilemonPhilemon Demeersman (BEL)	La Française
1937	BEL !	Braeckeveldt, AdolpheAdolphe Braeckeveldt (BEL)	Helyett
1938	BEL !	Masson Jr., EmileÉmile Masson Jr. (BEL)
1939	BEL !	Delathouwer, EdmondEdmond Delathouwer (BEL)	Leducq-Mercier
1940	~ !No race
1941	BEL !	Grysolle, SylvainSylvain Grysolle (BEL)
1942	BEL !	Thijs, KarelKarel Thijs (BEL)
1943	BEL !	Kint, MarcelMarcel Kint (BEL)
1944	BEL !	Kint, MarcelMarcel Kint (BEL)
1945	BEL !	Kint, MarcelMarcel Kint (BEL)
1946	BEL !	Keteleer, DesireDesire Keteleer (BEL)	Groene Leeuw
1947	BEL !	Sterckx, ErnestErnest Sterckx (BEL)	Alcyon-Dunlop
1948	ITA !	Camellini, FermoFermo Camellini (ITA)	Métropole
1949	BEL !	Steenbergen, Rik VanRik Van Steenbergen (BEL)	Mercier-Hutchinson
1950	ITA !	Coppi, FaustoFausto Coppi (ITA)	Bianchi-Ursus
1951	SUI !	Kubler, FerdiFerdi Kubler (SUI)	Tebag
1952	SUI !	Kubler, FerdiFerdi Kubler (SUI)	Tebag
1953	BEL !	Ockers, StanStan Ockers (BEL)	Peugeot-Dunlop
1954	BEL !	Derijcke, GermainGermain Derijcke (BEL)	Alcyon-Dunlop
1955	BEL !	Ockers, StanStan Ockers (BEL)	Elvé-Peugeot
1956	BEL !	Genechten, Richard vanRichard van Genechten (BEL)	Elvé-Peugeot
1957	BEL !	Impanis, RaymondRaymond Impanis (BEL)	Peugeot-BP
1958	BEL !	Steenbergen, Rik VanRik Van Steenbergen (BEL)	Elvé-Peugeot-Marvan
1959	BEL !	Hoevenaars, JosJos Hoevenaars (BEL)	Faema
1960	BEL !	Cerami, PinoPino Cerami (BEL)	Peugeot-BP-Dunlop
1961	BEL !	Vannitsen, WillyWilly Vannitsen (BEL)	Gitane-Geminiani-Leroux-Dunlop
1962	BEL !	Dewolf, HenriHenri Dewolf (BEL)	Baratti-Milano
1963	FRA !	Poulidor, RaymondRaymond Poulidor (FRA)	Mercier-BP-Hutchinson
1964	BEL !	Desmet, GilbertGilbert Desmet (BEL)	Wiel's-Groene Leeuw
1965	ITA !	Poggiali, RobertoRoberto Poggiali (ITA)	Ignis
1966	ITA !	Dancelli, MicheleMichele Dancelli (ITA)	Molteni
1967	BEL !	Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Peugeot-BP-Michelin
1968	BEL !	Looy, Rik vanRik van Looy (BEL)	Willem II-Gazelle
1969	BEL !	Huysmans, JosJos Huysmans (BEL)	Dr.Mann-Grundig
1970	BEL !	Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Faemino
1971	BEL !	De Vlaeminck, RogerRoger De Vlaeminck (BEL)	Mars-Flandria
1972	BEL !	Merckx, EddyEddy Merckx (BEL)	Molteni
1973	BEL !	Dierickx, AndreAndre Dierickx (BEL)	Flandria-Shimano-Carpenter
1974	BEL !	Verbeeck, FransFrans Verbeeck (BEL)	Watney-Maes
1975	BEL !	Dierickx, AndreAndre Dierickx (BEL)	Rokado
1976	NED !	Zoetemelk, JoopJoop Zoetemelk (NED)	GAN-Mercier-Hutchinson
1977	ITA !	Moser, FrancescoFrancesco Moser (ITA)	Sanson
1978	FRA !	Laurent, MichelMichel Laurent (FRA)	Peugeot-Esso-Michelin
1979	FRA !	Hinault, BernardBernard Hinault (FRA)	Renault-Gitane-Campagnolo
1980	ITA !	Saronni, GiuseppeGiuseppe Saronni (ITA)	Gis Gelati-Colnago
1981	BEL !	Willems, DanielDaniel Willems (BEL)	Capri Sonne-Koga Miyata
1982	ITA !	Beccia, MarioMario Beccia (ITA)	Hoonved-Bottechia
1983	FRA !	Hinault, BernardBernard Hinault (FRA)	Renault-Elf-Gitane
1984	DEN !	Andersen, KimKim Andersen (DEN)	Coop-Hoonved
1985	BEL !	Criquielion, ClaudeClaude Criquielion (BEL)	Hitachi-Splendor-Sunair
1986	FRA !	Fignon, LaurentLaurent Fignon (FRA)	Système U
1987	FRA !	Leclercq, Jean-ClaudeJean-Claude Leclercq (FRA)	Toshiba-Look
1988	GER !	Golz, RolfRolf Golz (GER)	Superconfex-Yoko
1989	BEL !	Criquielion, ClaudeClaude Criquielion (BEL)	Hitachi-Merckx-Mavic
1990	ITA !	Argentin, MorenoMoreno Argentin (ITA)	Ariostea
1991	ITA !	Argentin, MorenoMoreno Argentin (ITA)	Ariostea
1992	ITA !	Furlan, GiorgioGiorgio Furlan (ITA)	Ariostea
1993	ITA !	Fondriest, MaurizioMaurizio Fondriest (ITA)	Lampre
1994	ITA !	Argentin, MorenoMoreno Argentin (ITA)	Gewiss–Ballan
1995	FRA !	Jalabert, LaurentLaurent Jalabert (FRA)	ONCE
1996	USA !	Armstrong, LanceLance Armstrong (USA)	Motorola
1997	FRA !	Jalabert, LaurentLaurent Jalabert (FRA)	ONCE
1998	DEN !	Hamburger, BoBo Hamburger (DEN)	Casino–Ag2r
1999	ITA !	Bartoli, MicheleMichele Bartoli (ITA)	Mapei–Quick-Step
2000	ITA !	Casagrande, FrancescoFrancesco Casagrande (ITA)	Vini Caldirola–Sidermec
2001	BEL !	Verbrugghe, RikRik Verbrugghe (BEL)	Lotto–Adecco
2002	BEL !	Aerts, MarioMario Aerts (BEL)	Lotto–Adecco
2003	ESP !	Astarloa, IgorIgor Astarloa (ESP)	Saeco Macchine per Caffè
2004	ITA !	Rebellin, DavideDavide Rebellin (ITA)	Gerolsteiner
2005	ITA !	Di Luca, DaniloDanilo Di Luca (ITA)	Liquigas–Bianchi
2006	ESP !	Valverde, AlejandroAlejandro Valverde (ESP)	Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears
2007	ITA !	Rebellin, DavideDavide Rebellin (ITA)	Gerolsteiner
2008	LUX !	Kirchen, KimKim Kirchen (LUX)	Team High Road
2009	ITA !	Rebellin, DavideDavide Rebellin (ITA)	Diquigiovanni–Androni
2010	AUS !	Evans, CadelCadel Evans (AUS)	BMC Racing Team
2011	BEL !	Gilbert, PhilippePhilippe Gilbert (BEL)	Omega Pharma–Lotto
2012	ESP !	Rodríguez, JoaquimJoaquim Rodríguez (ESP)	Team Katusha
2013	ESP !	Moreno, DanielDaniel Moreno (ESP)	Team Katusha
2014	ESP !	Valverde, AlejandroAlejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team
2015	ESP !	Valverde, AlejandroAlejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team
2016	ESP !	Valverde, AlejandroAlejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team

Multiple winners

Wins	Rider	Editions
4	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	2006, 2014, 2015, 2016
3	Marcel Kint (BEL)	1943, 1944, 1945
	Eddy Merckx (BEL)	1967, 1970, 1972
	Moreno Argentin (ITA)	1990, 1991, 1994
	Davide Rebellin (ITA)	2004, 2007, 2009
2	Ferdi Kübler (SUI)	1951, 1952
	Stan Ockers (BEL)	1953, 1955
	Rik Van Steenbergen (BEL)	1949, 1958
	André Dierickx (BEL)	1973, 1975
	Bernard Hinault (FRA)	1979, 1983
	Claude Criquielion (BEL)	1985, 1989
	Laurent Jalabert (FRA)	1995, 1997

Winners by Nationality

# of wins	Country
38	Belgium
18	Italy
8	France
7	Spain
2	Switzerland Denmark
1	Germany Netherlands United States Luxembourg Australia

References

↑ "Spring Classics: How to win cycling's hardest one-day races". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 March 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flèche wallonne.

Official website
La Flèche Wallonne Palmares at Cycling Archives

La Flèche Wallonne / La Flèche Wallonne Féminine

Men's editions	1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Women's editions	1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

UCI World Tour

Races

Active	Tour Down Under Paris–Nice Tirreno–Adriatico Milan–San Remo Volta a Catalunya E3 Harelbeke Gent–Wevelgem Tour of Flanders Tour of the Basque Country Paris–Roubaix Amstel Gold Race La Flèche Wallonne Liège–Bastogne–Liège Tour de Romandie Giro d'Italia Critérium du Dauphiné Tour de Suisse Tour de France Clásica de San Sebastián Tour de Pologne Eneco Tour Vuelta a España Vattenfall Cyclassics GP Ouest-France GP de Québec GP de Montréal TTT at the World Championships Giro di Lombardia

Defunct	Tour of Beijing

Seasons

Teams

2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016

Classic cycle races

The 'Monuments'	Milan–San Remo Tour of Flanders Paris–Roubaix Liège–Bastogne–Liège Giro di Lombardia

Spring classics	Milan–San Remo Cobbled classics E3 Harelbeke Gent–Wevelgem Tour of Flanders Paris–Roubaix Ardennes classics Amstel Gold Race La Flèche Wallonne Liège–Bastogne–Liège

Summer classics	Clásica de San Sebastián Vattenfall Cyclassics Trittico Lombardo Coppa Ugo Agostoni Coppa Bernocchi Tre Valli Varesine Laurentian classics Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal

Autumn classics	Brussels Cycling Classic Grand Prix de Fourmies Paris–Tours Trittico di Autunno Milano–Torino Giro del Piemonte Giro di Lombardia Giro dell'Emilia Japan Cup

Past classics	Paris–Brest–Paris Bordeaux–Paris Wincanton Classic Porto–Lisboa Züri-Metzgete Giro del Lazio Giro della Romagna

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