“My legs were really sore and I was freezing" - Maxim van Gils battles through adverse weather to La Fleche Wallonne podium

Few riders have been as consistently impressive so far this year than Lotto Dstny's Maxim van Gils. The latest of the Belgian's breakthrough performances, a third-placed finish at La Fleche Wallonne 2024.

“I am satisfied, especially after the Amstel Gold Race,” said van Gils post-race to Wielerflits, having finished 20th last Sunday in a somewhat disappointing result given his earlier performances this year such as his podium finish at Strade Bianche. "These are three important races (Amstel Gold Race, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, ed.) for the team. The first race was not great, but I think the podium in La Fleche Wallonne will make up for that. It wasn't easy of course, because I had already had a very good season, but these are my favourite races and it gives the team a lot of publicity.”

With a group of around 30 riders coming onto the final ascent of the Mur de Huy together, it was something of a cagey finale before eventual race winner, Stephen Williams attacked with 300m to go. “My legs were really sore and I was freezing. I still tried to go forward on instinct, not really on explosiveness," explains van Gils who, along with Kevin Vauquelin couldn't quite catch Williams. "Maybe it wasn't my best Mur de Huy, but I think everyone was exhausted and tired.”

“I thought they were all going to leave, but most of them stayed next to each other. Cosnefroy in particular stayed a long time ahead of me, so I couldn't really get around. I had to wait quite a while before I could leave," van Gils concludes his recap. "Would that have made a difference? Yes, but it's also my own fault for being locked up there. If I had left first, that wouldn't have happened.”