José De Cauwer stunned by Tadej Pogacar's acceleration on Mur de Huy: "No one even thought they could go with Pogacar"

Rain with cold are becoming a key aspect of La Fleche Wallonne, although the race takes place deep into the "spring" Classics. By the time Mur de Huy arrives, it's as if the gods themselves wanted to see the riders suffer. Except there was one man who was completely unphased by the ordeal on Wednesday - Tadej Pogacar.

"All the riders were lacking explosiveness. Except for one man," Karl Vannieuwkerke begins his story on the Sporza website. "They did try to make it a difficult race. But in the end, they are so wary of each other that they wait until the Mur. And then there is one man who stands out," adds José De Cauwer.

Not only is La Flèche Wallonne a tough race thanks to its parcours, the weather conditions often make it even more brutal – and this year, the weather played a decisive role again. "Remco Evenepoel was in a good position until they reached the Mur, but the difference was huge in the end. But the same was true for Pidcock and Healy. No one thought momentarily: 'I have to go with Pogacar.'"

Opponents could have hoped that the Slovenian would be slightly shaken up after his defeat at Amstel Gold Race, but those prayers were not heard. Once Pogacar took off on Mur de Huy, the race was immediately over. It's a heavy blow for whoever aspires to take on the world champion in what's left of the Ardennes.

Sunday is the final spring classic, and Pogacar will again be the top favorite. "A very motivated Pogacar will be at the start. Some people thought after the Amstel Gold Race that something was wrong with Pogacar, but the positive signs are still there," according to De Cauwer. Vannieuwkerke agrees: "If there was even the slightest doubt, it has been completely eliminated today."