Circuit de Wallonie: Italian Andrea Pasqualon signs the 10th success of the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert (video)

The regular race of strongmen once again decided the fate of the Circuit de Wallonie on Thursday at Mont-sur-March. After the first part of the race driven by a traditional breakaway, the difficulties after the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure led to the isolation of about sixty riders up front.

Six passengers had made a separation that day. Bert Jan Lindemann (Volkerwessels), Jeroen Eskens (Tarteletto-Isorex), Siebe Deweirdt (Elevate P/B Homme Solution-Soenens), Kenneth Caethoven (Minerva), Daniel Koszela (XSpeed ​​United), Luke Mudgway (Bolton Equities) Black Spoketies ) was three minutes ahead halfway, as the peloton rolled through the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure. Mudgway was the last man standing to break away after the candidate teams began playing as difficulties approached in the second part of the race. The general assembly happened within 60 kilometers of the target, a moment Steve Krass chose to go solo up front. He joined Lotto-Soudal rider Laurenz Rex (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB) and later Abram Stockman (Saris Rouvy Sauerland). The peloton, which has been gradually skimmed from the back, is worn down on the last difficulty of the day, the Thy-Le-Château coast (45 km).

The Runaways were 16 seconds ahead of the goal, 32 kilometers from the goal, at the first crossing of the finish line, and entered the local circuit. Cras and Stockman were neutralized 30 kilometers from the finish by a peloton that is mainly controlled by teams Lotto-Soudal and Alpecin-Fenix. Peloton of about 60 riders crossed the finish line for the second time, 22 kilometers from the finish. The peloton remained together until the last kilometers, only the Frenchman Guillaume Boivin had an absurd adventure as the end approached.

Frenchman Axel Zingel (Cofidis) managed to get out of Peloton at the end right before he was stuck thirty meters from the line by Italian Andrea Pasqualon, who signed at Mont-sur-March in 10 successes for Intermarche and Anti Joubert of the season and his first success since winning the Tour de Luxembourg in 2018. Philippe Gilbert (Loto Soudal) completed the podium.

Andrea Pasqualon was succeeded by French Christophe Laporte, who won the 2021 edition of the Walloon circuit, ahead of his compatriot Marc Sarro and New Zealander Lawrence Bethe.

The next round of the Exterioo Cup cycling is scheduled for Sunday 29 May as part of GP Marcel Kint in Zwevegem.