Expect plenty of action in this year’s Tour de Wallonie, with a finish on the Mur de Huy, numerous climbs made famous in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and several kilometers of cobbles. Potentially five consecutive days of fireworks in the French part of Belgium.
The general classification will take shape immediately in the opening stage. The Mur de Huy will definitely separate those who aim for yellow from those whose specialty isn’t punching up climbs.
It is not that the second stage is much lighter, with seven serious ascents, including the famous Côte de la Redoute. The peloton has two days of around 200 kilometers with 3000 meters of elevation on the menu in stages 3 and 4, before heading into a 215-kilometer stage with a cobbled final on the last day of racing.
In short: the Tour de Wallonie was not designed for pure sprinters.
Israel – Premier Tech travels to Belgium with five WorldTour riders and two Continental riders. Homeboys Sep Vanmarcke and Tom van Asbroeck will see Patrick Bevin, Reto Hollenstein and Omer Goldstein support them. Derek Gee, who has signed to move up to pro next year with Israel – Premier Tech, and Alastair Mackellar also line up.
Goldstein, the Israeli on the team, is looking forward to the Tour de Wallonie, after having missed the Tour de France due to Covid-19. “I got good training in and I am excited about the course. The organization designed five interesting and tough stages. I have good experiences from racing in Belgium, and I hope to add more good memories to this year’s Tour de Wallonie.”
