23rd April – La Flèche Wallonne: Ciney – Huy
When you think of La Flèche Wallonne, you think of the Mur de Huy. Although the Côte de Cherave returned to the local finishing circuit after a one-year absence, few doubted that the race would once again be decided on the steep final ascent of the Mur. The day’s early break formed quickly, with a few riders bridging across later on. Meanwhile, Team Picnic PostNL stayed grouped near the front, aiming to position finisher Oscar Onley as best as possible for the finale.
On the final climb of the Côte de Cherave, the breakaway was caught and the pace in the peloton suddenly ramped up. The increased tempo caused splits in the bunch, with Onley missing the first group and settling into the second. From that point on, Team Picnic PostNL played no further role in the battle for victory in Huy. Warren Barguil ended the day as the team’s first rider across the line.
After the finish, the Frenchman said: “We’re disappointed because we worked hard for this. Unfortunately, it didn’t pay off. It’s a big disappointment, even though we actually did a good job as a team. But that’s cycling. The weather didn’t make things any easier either—it was far from pleasant in the rain. Sadly, we couldn’t get a result today, and that’s frustrating. But we’ll do everything we can to bounce back the right way on Sunday in Liège.”
Coach Pim Ligthart added: “I’m pleased with how we rode as a team, as a unit. We made a plan and stuck to it, and the guys executed it really well. Of course, it’s disappointing that we weren’t there on the penultimate climb, but credit to the riders for their effort and teamwork.”