"There is still a touch of disappointment in missing victory by so little" - Kevin Vauquelin close 2nd at La Fleche Wallonne

In a breakthrough performance, Arkéa - B&B Hotels' Kevin Vauquelin overcame the horrendous weather conditions to thrive on the Mur de Huy at La Fleche Wallonne 2024, taking a close second on the day.

“We experienced tough conditions today which eliminated a lot of favourites. So there were opportunities to be seized," reflected the 22-year-old Frenchman in a post-race interview with his team's official website. "This is what I managed to do."

Although he stayed patient, not wanting to attack too early, Vauquelin holds a touch of regret that he waited too long. "At the start of the 4th and final ascent of the Mur de Huy, I was in Benoît Cosnefroy's wheel. It was a wheel to take. I waited as long as possible to make my effort. I had done quite a bit of video analysis of winners of the Flèche Wallonne, and I knew that you had to make your effort at the last moment," he explains. "Maybe I waited a little too long considering the shape I'm in."

"I don't want to have any regrets. I finished second in the La Fleche Wallonne on my first participation in this race," Vauquelin concludes. "There is still a touch of disappointment in missing victory by so little, but I am happy and satisfied with this second place that I bring to the ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team. My 2024 season is going well. We will make a definitive assessment of the Ardennes on the evening of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.”