It all came down to the final ascent of the Mur de Huy, and the infamous climb again delivered a great set-piece, with most of the top riders in contention for the win on the steep slopes.
However, it wasn't the likes of three-time winner Julian Alaphilippe (QuickStep Alpha Vinyl) or Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) that emerged from the pack, but the less-fancied Dylan Teuns, who had the most of recent good form to produce a strong attack on the steepest slopes of the climb.
Valverde loomed up beside the Belgian with 100 metres to go, but that was as close as the five-time winner would come to adding a sixth, as Teuns pushed hard to the line to take the biggest win of his career.
"I've always dreamt of classics victory, today it finally happens,” said Teuns I’ve never been so strong in the spring classics, and I’m really happy with this win."
Teuns took his previous best performance at Fleche Wallonne back in 2017 when third behind Valverde, but today he bested the 41-year-old who was riding for the final time in the race that he dominated.
"I knew a little bit the place where he always makes the first acceleration," Teuns said of Valverde. "Five years ago when I became third I was there in the wheel, and when he made the second move I couldn't follow anymore.
“Today, I made the second move and I felt him coming but I still had a little left in the legs to keep him behind me.
"It's maybe not always the best one who wins, but on the Mur, it's definitely a climb where you need the legs and today I had strong legs. Maybe I was the strongest today.”
The day’s early breakaway saw plenty of action, with the move whittled down over the course of the stage, until Simon Carr (EF Education-EasyPost) bridged from the peloton after the penultimate climb of the Mur de Huy. He and Valentin Ferron (TotalEnergies) were the last riders caught of the break, brought back with 9km remaining as the top teams jostled for position heading into the foot of the Cote de Cherave.
An attack from Cofidis saw Remy Rochas go off the front on the climb, with Mauri Vansevenant (Quickstep-AlphaVinyl) struggling to follow. Soren Kragh Andersen (Team DSM) bridged over towards the top of the climb, joining the duo on the descent, dropping Rochas quickly.
He and Vandevenant were only to survive until the early slopes of the Mur de Huy, with the reduced peloton spoiling for a fight on the final climb.
Movistar led the way for Valverde, with Dani Martinez (INEOS Grenadiers) also led into good position.
Enric Mas (Movistar) led Valverde into the steepest section of the climb with Alexsandr Vlasov (BORA Hansgrohe) and Teuns attentive on Valverde’s wheel. Pogacar and Alaphilippe were in good position to make or match any moves made, but didn’t have the legs to go with the major attacks.
Valverde upped the tempo with 250 metres to go and Vlasov accelerated at the same time, but it was Teuns with the most ferocious attack, surging clear onto the flatter upper section of the ascent.
Valverde came at him hard, but Teuns had the tenacity to kick again and seal the win from Valverde, with Vlasov behind in third.
The Classics continue on SBS, with the men's and women's races from Liege-Bastogne-Liege on SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand this Sunday.
