Alejandro Valverde dares to claim the fourth successive Fleche Wallonne title

On Wednesday, Alejandro Valverde managed to win the fifth Flèche Wallonne title of his sports career. The Movistar sportsman triumphed after five hours 15 minutes and 37 seconds ahead of Dan Martin as well as Dylan Teuns, crossing the line later in second as well as third respectively.

La Flèche Wallonne appears to be the first race of the week in the Walloon region, Belgium, which forms the first part of a probable Ardennes double.

La Flèche Wallonne boasts several steep and short climbs, topping out at more than 20% in gradient as well as steep banked roads, generating a wall of beer-fuelled noise.

The route is specially designed to suit the so-called puncheurs. These are riders capable of coping with short steep climbs. Alejandro Valverde has been winning the route for consecutive years. This year, the Spaniard arrives in top form, as this season he has already won the Tours of Catalonia, Andalucía and Basque Country.