Flèche Wallonne – Tadej Pogacar: “I think I can do something good”

On Wednesday and Sunday, the Ardennes will become a global cycling center with the opening of Flèche Wallonne ahead of the Monument de Liège-Bastogne-Liège. After seducing in the cobblestones and mountains of Flanders, Tadej Pogacar arrived in his favorite position which he will share with world champion Julian Alaphilippe. Slovenian scientist N.1 will be able to count on his side the Swiss Mark Hershey, another specialist in the “Ardennes” and one of the main assets of the Emirates team.

The team was denied Flèche Wallonne last year, due to (false) positive Covid tests among its passengers, and avenged resoundingly with a Pogacar win in Doyenne. “We come back to the Ardennes with great memories of last year,” the two-time Tour de France winner said on his team’s website. “It’s a period that I look forward to with great pleasure. Winning in Liege was a dream and I feel very connected with this race.”

Despite the failure of the last straight in Ronde as he had to settle for fourth, the Slovenian showed that his talent was versatile and that his form was indeed very sharp. “From the Tour of Flanders the next day I went to test the cobbled sections of the Tour de France, which was an exciting experience. It is very challenging but it is good to have an idea of ​​what to expect before the Tour. Then I had a two day break. Since the UAE Tour United I’ve been running a lot so it was nice to go home and train normally, it’s part of the job I love so it’s been nice to have a little routine for the Ardennes, we have a very dynamic team. The shape is good and I think I can do Something good but in the whole team is very strong and we will have options which is always an advantage.”

Among them, Hershey is not the least. The 2020 La Flèche winner was unable to defend his title last year on top of the Mur de Huy. He will be in place again, but will have his say at Liège-Bastogne-Liège as he remains in second place in 2020 and sixth in 2021.

Spaniards Juan Ayuso and Marc Soler, Norway’s Vigard Steak Langen, Slovenian Jan Polanc and Italy’s Diego Ulissi will be their teammates. Sunday in CorkNew Zealander George Bennett will initially replace Ayuso.

Source: Belgium