UAE Team Emirates duo Diego Ulissi and Rui Costa finished in the top 20 at Fleche Wallone on Wednesday – with overall victory claimed by Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors).

The Frenchman beat last year’s winner Alejandro Valverde of Spain into second, with Belgian Jelle Vanendert third.

Alaphilippe – who had never won a one-day classic – put in a blistering spurt on the punishing final Mur de Huy climb to the finish after a gruelling 198.5 kilometres of racing.

Ulissi placed 14th overall at 25 seconds after Alaphilippe, while Costa finished 19th after a stunning ride on the Mur.

Meanwhile, Dan Martin notched 61st, Manuele Mori placed 81st and Aleksandr Riabushenko finished 92nd.

The team will next be racing at the Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday – the last race on the spring classics calendar and one of the hardest one-day races.