La Flèche Wallonne 2020: Marc Hirschi powers to victory

At the end of a route with a vertical gain of almost 3,000 metres La Flèche Wallonne comes down to the Wall of Huy. It is business as usual, but with a different outcome. Marc Hirschi outsprints Benoît Cosnefroy and Michael Woods on the false flat atop of the steep climb. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results La Flèche Wallonne 2020

1. Marc Hirschi (swi)
2. Benoît Cosnefroy (fra) s.t.
3. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
4. Warren Barguil (fra) s.t.
5. Dan Martin (irl) s.t.
6. Michal Kwiatkowski (pol) s.t.
7. Patrick Konrad (aut) + 0.05
8. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
9. Tadej Pogacar (slo) s.t.
10. Simon Geschke (ger) + 0.10

Race report
Aaron Van Poucke and Mauri Vansevenant initiate the breakaway, while Marlon Gaillard and Mathijs Paasschens bridges across. The four open up a gap of almost 10 minutes.

Ide Schelling and Alessandro De Marchi go after the leaders with 70 kilometres left to go without ever regaining contact with the leaders.

Vansevenant is the remaining attacker in the last lap and he tackles the Chemin des Gueuses climb 1 minute head of the peloton. Rigoberto Uran goes after the 21-year old Flemish attacker and he reaches the summit 18 seconds after him.

Vansevenant misses a corner and Uran rejoins him before the peloton gobbles up the attackers just before the finishing climb.

Richie Porte up the pace in the steepest final section of the Wall of Huy. Michael Woods counterattacks with Marc Hirschi and Benoît Cosnefroy. The three enter the false flat on the top together and the young Swiss has the most punch left in his legs. He wins the sprint ahead of the Frenchman and the Canadian.

Other interesting reads: route and start list of La Flèche Wallonne 2020.