"We have plenty of cards to play in the team" - Marc Hirschi hoping UAE Team Emirates can benefit from numbers game at La Fleche Wallonne

After a brilliant performance at the Amstel Gold Race, just missing out on victory to Tom Pidcock in the final sprint, Marc Hirschi hopes to go one better this afternoon at La Fleche Wallonne.

Having already won this race back in 2020, the Swiss has fond memories of his racing at La Fleche Wallonne. "It was really big for me to win here so it's super nice to be back," Hirschi reflects in his pre-race interview ahead of this year's edition. "It's a different race to Sunday, that was more left-right, up-and-down, whereas today is more about the pure legs."

Part of a stacked UAE Team Emirates lineup that also includes Brandon McNulty, Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida, Hirschi is hopeful at least one of the team will be able to come away with the victory. "I recovered good but we have plenty of cards to play in the team," he assesses. "Hopefully, one of the guys will have super good legs today."

Can Hirschi be the one to triumph? "It's hard to say. There are many good riders here at the start but I'll give my best," he concludes. "If there's rain it could get really chaotic with everybody freezing and just wanting to survive but with Ayuso we have a very good card to play."