La Fl�che Wallone - Cycling Betting

History - Important Facts -Teams - Winners - Results

Important Facts

The cycling race's literal translation is 'The Walloon Arrow' and it takes place in the Belgian Ardennes. It is shorter in distance compared to the other Spring Classics and comparatively less climbing.

Riders will tackle the first of three peaks of the dreaded legendary Mur de Huy. The Mur's statistics need no further explanation: 1.3 kilometres in length, an average gradient of 10% with sections up to 19%, and rising 130 meters within this short distance.

A decisive loop is around the Belgian Ardennes with over 107 kilometres, on bumpy clockwise parcours with four climbs en route - the C�te de Pailhe (132.5km), C�te de Hautebisse (154.5km), C�te de Bohissau (173.5km) and C�te de Ahin (191.0km) - before the race culminates on the 'Wall of Huy' for the third and final time.

Since its inception 70 years ago, the Fleche Wallone created by the newspaper Les Sports in 1936, has been dominated by Belgian early editions from inaugural winner Philippe Demeersman right up until Andr� Dierickx's second victory in 1975.

However, in recent times the winners' list has grown longer and has changed a bit: Lance Armstrong became the first American to win the race in 1996; Frenchman Laurent Jalabert took his second Fl�che a year later then Denmark's Bo Hamburger a year after that.

In 1999, Italian Michele Bartoli became the number one rider in the world before countryman Francesco Casagrande. The following year; two Belgians, Rik Verbrugghe and Mario Aerts, took 'home' victories in 2001 and 2002 respectively; then in 2003 Spaniard Igor Astarloa won the Fleche Wallone and went on to win the world road championship in Hamilton, Canada.

During the last two editions of the race have seen Italians earn the glory on top of the Mur with Davide Rebellin's win forming part of a historic triple in 2004 and Danilo Di Luca doing the double last year.