Dan Martin (Quick-Step) made his traditional late charge to place second, while Dylan Teuns (BMC) saw off Sergio Henao (Sky) for third. Diego Rosa (Sky) set the pace at the base of the climb for Michal Kwiatkowski, but the first telling acceleration didn’t come until close to the summit, when highly-touted youngster David Gaudu (FDJ) jumped clear. Valverde responded in kind, drawing level and then ripping clear to establish a winning lead.
Martin came from a long way back and through a lot of traffic to take second place, but nobody threatened to make any inroads into Valverde’s lead. Teuns pipped Henao for third, while Michael Albasini (Orica-Scott) took fifth. It was Valverde’s fifth Fleche Wallonne win in total, and he attributed this latest success to “confidence and strength.” The finale was animated by an attack from Bob Jungels (Quick-Step), who bridged across to Alessandro De Marchi (BMC) following the penultimate ascent of the Mur de Huy, and then forged clear alone with 12 kilometres to go. Jungels had a lead of 50 seconds at the base of the second last climb, the Cote de Cherave, and led into the base of the Mur de Huy, but was caught as Rosa wound up the pace on the lower slopes.
Top Ten from Fleche Wallone 2017
Alejandro Valverde (Spain) Movistar Team 5:15:37
2 Daniel Martin (Ireland) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:01
3 Dylan Teuns (Belgium) BMC Racing Team
4 Sergio Henao (Colombia) Team Sky
5 Michael Albasini (Swiden) Orica-Scott
6 Warren Barguil (France) Team Sunweb
7 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pololand) Team Sky
8 Rudy Molard (France) FDJ
9 David Gaudu (France) FDJ
10 Diego Ulissi (Italy
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