Grand Prix de Wallonie 2024

September 18, 2024 A warm late summer's day set the scene for 200KM through the Ardennes to finish atop the Citadelle de Namur. Gleb Brussenskiy of Astana, Michiel Lambrecht of Bingoal-WB, Mulu Kinfe Hailemichael of Caja-Rural, Jan Sommer of Q36.5, and Arno Claeys of Flanders Baloise, and Kenny Molly of Van Rysel-Roubaix were the six representatives in the break. Their lead was being pegged around 2 minutes with Thomas De Gendt of Lotto-Dstny chasing behind. With 48.5KM to go, Q36.5 put it in the gutter and was very effective in splitting the bunch. About 20 riders made the front split and they caught the breakaway with 43KM to go. Q36.5 and Lotto-Dstny had numbers in the front and continued to push as Uno-X Mobility and Decathlon AG2R were chasing behind. With 36KM to go, the gap was still 25 seconds but the cohesion at the front was falling apart. The race was back together at 31KM to go when they started the climb out of Rouillon. Oscar Riesebeek of Alpecin-Deceuninck counter attacked and went solo. The road widened after descending back along the Meuse River and Riesebeek was caught by a peloton of riders all fighting for position going into the 2.8KM Tienne aux Pierres. Over the top of the Tienne aux Pierres, Mads Würtz Schmidt of Israel-Premier Tech and Georg Zimmermann of Intermarché-Wanty chipped off the front and there was no concerted chase behind. They held a gap of 25 seconds as they went on to the 2.8KM cobbled climb to the finish line. Würtz Schmidt was dropped with 1.8KM to go and it was looking good for Zimmermann until 1KM to go when Uno-X Mobility increased the pace. Zimmermann was brought back just before the final corner at 400M from the line. Alex Aranburu of Movistar led the bunch through the last corner and started his sprint over 250M from the line on a false flat uphill. 50M from the line, Roger Adrià of Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe pulled level and with a bike throw, took the win away from Aranburu. Clément Champoussin of Arkéa-B&B Hotels finished in third after coming through the final corner right behind Adrià.