Hirschi looking ahead to Fleche Wallone after lacklustre Amstel Gold

Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) was touted to finish among the leaders at the 2021 Amstel Gold, but looked off the pace as he crossed the finish line in 35th place.

UAE Team Emirates rider Marc Hirschi. Source: Velo

Hirschi's teammate Matteo Trentin tallied the highest for the UAE squad, finishing 11th in the bunch sprint as Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) took the victory in an incredibly tight conclusion in the first of this season's Ardennes Classics.

Other team riders Rui Costa and Ryan Gibbons were also among the attackers in the closing stages of the race, but were ultimately beat out by the breakaway of Van Aert, Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers) and Max Schachmann (BORA-Hansgrohe).

Hirschi has endured a slow start to the 2021 season, his first with UAE Team Emirates after leaving Team DSM following a strong 2020 campaign which saw a stage win at the Tour de France and a triumph at Flèche Wallonne.

And the Swiss rider is setting his sights on the latter as a chance to bounce back in the second of the classics, set for this Wednesday night (AEST).

"We came back and then we tried to do the sprint with [Matteo] Trentin,” Hirschi said following the Amstel Gold. 

"I’m happy with my performance, I just missed a little bit. I hope that Fleche will go a bit better and that Liège goes even better than that.

"I’m looking forward to Fleche and I hope that the trend continues like this and that I can take something from every race.”

When asked about Wednesday's race, Hirschi didn't seem too phased, hinting there would be little change to his game plan.

“I think for Wednesday it’s a pretty easy race," Hirschi said. “It’s the same tactics on the same climb, mostly."

Fleche Wallonne on SBS VICELAND

Wednesday April 21

LIVE to Eastern States (delayed to other time zones on SBS HD), live streaming to all SBS On Demand

 

Live on SBS VICELAND: Fleche Wallonne Women's

Wednesday April 21

1905 - 2100

 

Live on SBS VICELAND: Fleche Wallonne Men's

Wednesday April 21

2100 - 0100 (earlier live streaming also available via SBS On Demand from 1855 - 2115)