The punchers are expected on Wednesday on the slopes of the Citadel of Namur, the traditional arbiter of the Grand Prix de Wallonie (1.Pro) and the Saint Feuillien Grand Prix de Wallonie for ladies (1.1).
The course of the 64th edition for the men, which will connect Blegny (start at 12:40 p.m.) and the Citadel of Namur, is 202.4 kilometers long and announces the Trasenster and Werbomont hills in the first part of the race.
Three difficulties will follow one another in the final, the Ermeton hill, the Tienne aux Pierres in Wépion and the climb of the Citadel of Namur.
“The course is classic and well-known,” commented organizer Christophe Brandt. “We will certainly see a dynamic race that will end with a mano a mano on the slopes of the Citadel of Namur between the punchers and the all-round sprinters.”
Tim Wellens (UAE Emirates), winner in 2017, the British Joseph Blackmore and Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech), Maxim Van Gils, Alec Segaert and Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny), Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), the French Axel Zingle (Cofidis) and Pierre Gautherat (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) as well as the outgoing winner the Spaniard Gonzalo Serrano (Movistar) are announced in the list of pre-entrants. Gonzalo Serrano won last year ahead of Dylan Teuns and Jsper De Buyst.
The 3rd edition of the Saint Feuillien Grand Prix de Wallonie (1.1) for the ladies will be held as a curtain raiser. The 139.4 kilometre course between Blegny (start at 11:00) and the Citadel of Namur will provide a terrain of expression conducive to the movements that the teams and riders preparing for the world championships in Zurich should benefit from. The Polish Marta Lach won last year.
