Dan Martin's team rode for him today, proving active in the chase after the breakaway. However, the Irishman failed to make an impact on the race.
Hopes that La Flèche Wallonne would prove a kick-start to Dan Martin’s quiet season to date were set aside long before the race concluded today.
The Irish rider, who was one of the favourites going into today’s race, looked laboured in the finale.
And he was distanced and out of contention with a lap of the finishing circuit, and a passage of the Mur de Huy, remaining.
Instead it fell Julian Alaphilippe (QuickStep) to depose Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
The Spanish veteran, and five-time winner of La Flèche Wallonne, had beaten Dan Martin into second place last year.
But he had no response this time around when Alaphilippe pulled the trigger on the Mur de Huy finish.
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Valverde did close a little at the very end but there was no doubting the winner; Alaphilippe four seconds clear in the end.
Rounding out the podium, a further two seconds back, was Jelle Vanendert (Lotto Soudal).
Sunday’s Amstel Gold runner-up Roman Kreuziger (Mitchelton-Scott) was next.
He was followed by Michael Matthews (Sunweb) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo).
Dan Martin has been in the top six five times in this race, though he’s yet to win it.
And last year not only was he runner-up to Valverde but was also 2nd to him four days later at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Uncharacteristically he was way down the field today; finishing in 61st some 9:37 down.
However, he said before the race that last Sunday he was still feeling the effects of his recent crash on the final stage of Volta a Catalunya.
He also said he found the distance of Sunday's contest hard goin.
So hopefully today’s race will have rectified both problems in his bid to try to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège for a second time this Sunday.
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