LA FLÈCHE WALLONNE 2026: Paul Seixas leads a French charge at the 90th edition of the Ardennes classic.
The Ardennes morning broke with a crisp, blue clarity that belied the brutality waiting at the end of the road. For the first time in three years, the peloton rolled out of Herstal for the 90th edition of La Flèche Wallonne without the shadow of a dominant “Cannibal.”
With defending champion Tadej Pogačar opting to rest and Remco Evenepoel focusing exclusively on Sunday’s Liège–Bastogne–Liège, the “Walloon Arrow” has transformed into something the cycling world hasn’t seen in nearly a decade: a wide-open power vacuum.
As the race moves into its final circuits this afternoon, the atmosphere along the Mur de Huy is one of feverish anticipation. The 1.3-kilometer ascent, with its lung-bursting 19% gradients, is no longer a stage for a pre-ordained coronation.
Instead, it has become the focal point of a French “New Wave” that looks poised to reclaim the race for the first time since Julian Alaphilippe’s 2021 triumph.
The Rise of the “Dauphin”: Paul Seixas
The name on every lip in the fan zones at the summit of the Mur is Paul Seixas. At just 19 years old, the Decathlon CMA CGM sensation has arrived in the Ardennes not as a prospect, but as a predator. Fresh off a historic overall victory at the Itzulia Basque Country where he became the youngest rider to win a World Tour stage race in nearly two decades Seixas represents a generational shift in French cycling.
“The pressure is there, of course, but the legs are the same as they were in Spain,” Seixas remarked at the sign-on in Herstal. Draped in the confidence of a rider who has already beaten Jonas Vingegaard this season, Seixas faces the ultimate test of “puncheur” timing.
In the absence of Pogačar’s explosive surge, the race is expected to be a tactical chess match rather than a simple war of attrition, playing directly into the hands of the savvy teenager.
The “Eternal Runners-Up” Seek Redemption
While Seixas carries the hype, a group of seasoned “Ardennes specialists” are looking to shed the label of bridesmaid. Kévin Vauquelin (INEOS Grenadiers), who finished second to Stephen Williams in 2024 and second to Pogačar last year, is the man most likely to play the spoiler.
Vauquelin’s form has been building steadily, and despite a minor scare at the Amstel Gold Race last weekend, he remains the most consistent performer on these gradients.
Joining him in the hunt is Benoît Cosnefroy (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). Tasked with leading the team in Pogačar’s stead, Cosnefroy has a complicated history with the Mur, having been denied victory by mere inches in 2020.
With third-place finishes at both De Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold, the Frenchman is arguably in the best form of his career.
The “Mur” Remains the Judge
The 208.8km route has been slightly redesigned for the 90th anniversary, featuring an extra loop that includes the Côte de Cherave a climb that many hope will act as a springboard for a long-range attack to prevent a traditional mass sprint up the Mur. However, history suggests that the Huy always has the final say.
“You can plan all you want,” said Lidl-Trek’s Mattias Skjelmose, another high-profile favorite looking to improve on his 2nd place in 2023. “But when you hit the ‘S’ bend on the Mur and the gradient hits 20%, your plan is just to survive. Today, survival might be enough to win.”
The Women’s Battle: Pieterse vs. The Field
Earlier today, the La Flèche Wallonne Femmes took center stage, with defending champion Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) facing a fierce challenge from a rejuvenated Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma. The women’s race has increasingly become the tactical benchmark for the men’s event, showing that a high-pace approach on the penultimate climbs can successfully fracture the peloton before the final ascent.
As the men’s peloton enters the final 50 kilometers, the tension in Huy is palpable. Whether it is the crowning of a 19-year-old king or the long-awaited redemption of a veteran, the 90th Flèche Wallonne is proving that even without its biggest stars, the Ardennes still hold the most compelling drama in sport.
