Dan Martin has finished a superb third at Fléche Wallone after a near-perfect race execution. The Irishman took things up on the final dash to the line and left many trailing in his wake, though Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and teammate Julian Alaphilippe came around him to take first and second.
By Brian Canty
Dan Martin has come agonisingly close to winning Fléche Wallone today, Wednesday, but had to settle for third behind winner Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and teammate Julian Alaphilippe.
The Irishman rode an absolutely textbook race and can have no complaints about taking third as he was simply beaten by better men on the day – or in the last 100 metres, rather.
The 200-kilometre World Tour race is one Martin has yearned for ever since he turned pro and he came into it on the back of some stellar results - as well as his team’s protected rider.
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The Etixx-QuickStep plan all day had been to shield and shepherd Martin to the bottom of the final climb of the day, the viciously steep Muur de Huy after which he was to then launch his trademark acceleration.
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In previous years, Martin started the climb further back the bunch and arrowed clear late on to take sixth, fourth and second.
He looked awesome in the final today as he weaved and bobbed his way towards the front of the race inside the final kilometre.
And perched towards the front waiting to attack were the likes of Valverde, Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), Diego Ulissi and Rui Costa (both Lampre-Merida) and Wout Poels (Team Sky).
Also there was the aforementioned Julian Alaphilippe who the team signed so as to learn from Martin this year.
The Frenchman is very similar to Martin in many ways and just about managed to hold onto second – but Martin can take an enormous amount of pride from the way he rode.
He’ll perhaps be disappointed to lose to Valverde again but will have a chance to atone for that this Sunday when he goes to the line at Liége-Bastogne-Liége.
And in this kind of form – with the backing of such a hugely talented team, Martin will once again be one of the favourites.
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