Anna van der Breggen wins La Flèche Wallonne Féminine
Rabo Liv rider comes out on top ahead of Van Vleuten and Guarnier
Anna van der Breggen (Rabo Liv) came out on top after an exciting finale to La Flèche Wallonne Féminine. The Rabo Liv rider beat Annemiek van Vleuten (Bigla) from an unexpected two-rider breakaway, while Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team) was the best of the rest on the Mur de Huy.
Van der Breggen took advantage of a strong performance by her Rabo-Liv team to bridge across to Van Vleuten and teammate Roxane Knetemann at the foot of the final climb. Knetemann sacrificed her chances for her teammate, and Van der Breggen jumped away to win by a 12-second margin.
"All of the riders deserve a big compliment," Rabo-Liv director Koos Moerenhout said. "Everyone made a big contribution to this. Anna rode great, but we were formidable as a team today."
Van Vleuten held on for second, while Guarnier came in third at 20 seconds as Knetemann faded back to seventh.
Most editions of Flèche Wallonne have come down to a large group at the base of the final climb, and this one looked to go to script as Rabo-Liv ramped up the pace with an attack by Roxane Knetemann with 25km to go. However, Van Vleuten's solo bridge across to the Dutch rider threw a wrench in the team's plans, forcing them to chase their own rider as the leaders' gap grew to more than a minute. When the gap became small enough on the new Cote de Cherave with 5.5km to go, Van der Breggen jumped away and made the bridge after the descent.
"When Anna came across to me with 4km to go I knew it would be hard to beat her on the Mur but I’m very happy with this result," Van Vleuten said. "Usually this isn’t a race for me but with the team performance today, I didn’t have to do anything.
"I could not believe that they hadn’t caught us at the bottom of the Mur and I thought this is going to be close," she continued. "I knew I was doing a good job on the Mur because Anna wasn’t getting away from me that quickly and when I looked behind me I could still not see the others coming. With 250m to go I started to believe I could be on the podium and I gave everything. I am very happy."
143 riders lined up in sunny Huy for the 121km World Cup round, which featured two trips up the Côte d'Éreffe, Côte de Bellaire, Côte de Bohissau and Mur de Huy, with the new Côte de Cherave tacked on just 5.5 km before the finish.
The first successful attack came with 40km to go when Lauren Komanski (US National Team) got away with Lizzie Williams (Orica-AIS), but the pair could only manage 20 seconds on the field and were caught 10km later. The peloton was split on the Côte de Bohissau, leaving World Cup leader Jolien D'hoore behind.
Knetemann and Van Vleuten used the aggressive pace to form their attack, and quickly built up a 1:10 advantage, forcing the favourites to decide on using their energy to chase or saving it for the final climb. At the bottom of the Côte de Cherave, Rabo-Liv had contributed to the chase with Wiggle Honda and Boels-Dolmans, clawing the gap back to 40 seconds. Van der Breggen, Ferrand-Prévot, Ashleigh Moolman (Bigla), Evelyn Stevens and Guarnier (Boels Dolmans) hammered up the climb, bringing the leaders within sight.
It was all that Van der Breggen needed, and the powerful Dutch rider bridged across to her teammate, who then poured her remaining energies into setting up her team leader for the win, while Van Vleuten had enough left to hold on for second.
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 3:18:46 |
2 | Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:12 |
3 | Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 0:00:20 |
4 | Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 0:00:32 |
5 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 0:00:40 |
6 | Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 0:00:44 |
7 | Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 0:00:46 |
8 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 0:00:57 |
9 | Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Velocio - SRAM | 0:01:07 |
10 | Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica - AIS | |
11 | Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio - SRAM | 0:01:10 |
12 | Elena Cecchini (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 0:01:13 |
13 | Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 0:01:16 |
14 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur | |
15 | Lauren Komanski (USA) USA National Team | 0:01:21 |
16 | Carlee Taylor (Aus) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 0:01:27 |
17 | Andrea Dvorak (USA) USA National Team | 0:01:30 |
18 | Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda | 0:01:35 |
19 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica - AIS | 0:01:38 |
20 | Annabelle Dreville (Fra) France | 0:01:49 |
21 | Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | |
22 | Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Velocio - SRAM | 0:02:00 |
23 | Kirsti Lay (Can) Canada | 0:02:08 |
24 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 0:02:29 |
25 | Rossella Ratto (Ita) Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi | 0:02:34 |
26 | Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana | 0:02:36 |
27 | Shara Gillow (Aus) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 0:02:37 |
28 | Jolanda Neff (Swi) Servetto Footon | 0:02:54 |
29 | Joelle Numainville (Can) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 0:03:03 |
30 | Aude Biannic (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 | 0:03:12 |
31 | Katrin Garfoot (Aus) Orica - AIS | 0:03:30 |
32 | Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Russie | 0:03:49 |
33 | Malgorzta Jasinska (Pol) Ale Cipollini | 0:04:03 |
34 | Jessie Daams (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 0:04:22 |
35 | Molly Weaver (GBr) Matrix Fitness | |
36 | Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 0:04:23 |
37 | Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Velocio - SRAM | |
38 | Tatiana Riabchenko (Ukr) Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi | 0:04:25 |
39 | Mayuko Hagiwara (Jpn) Wiggle Honda | 0:04:31 |
40 | Manon Souyris (Fra) France | |
41 | Polona Batagelj (Slo) BTC City Ljubljana | |
42 | Audrey Cordon (Fra) Wiggle Honda | 0:04:35 |
43 | Elise Delzenne (Fra) Velocio - SRAM | |
44 | Amy Pieters (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur | 0:04:37 |
45 | Sofie De Vuyst (Bel) Lensworld.Eu - Zannata | 0:04:46 |
46 | Anna Potokina (Rus) Servetto Footon | 0:04:51 |
47 | Francesca Cauz (Ita) Ale Cipollini | 0:04:58 |
48 | Laura Trott (GBr) Matrix Fitness | 0:05:00 |
49 | Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Hitec Products | 0:05:03 |
50 | Julie Leth (Den) Hitec Products | 0:06:09 |
51 | Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Liv - Plantur | |
52 | Tayler Wiles (USA) Velocio - SRAM | 0:06:31 |
53 | Anna Zavershinskaya (Rus) Bizkaia-Durango | 0:06:35 |
54 | Mara Abbott (USA) Wiggle Honda | |
55 | Natalia Boyarskaya (Rus) Russie | 0:06:39 |
56 | Amélie Rivat (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 | 0:06:43 |
57 | Séverine Eraud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 | 0:06:44 |
58 | Anisha Vekemans (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies | |
59 | Ann-Sofie Duyck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo | 0:06:45 |
60 | Gabrielle Pilote-Fortin (Can) Canada | |
61 | Martina Ritter (Aut) BTC City Ljubljana | |
62 | Anna Sanchis Chafer (Spa) Wiggle Honda | |
63 | Riejanne Markus (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 0:06:49 |
64 | Lizzie Williams (Aus) Orica - AIS | |
65 | Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo | 0:06:54 |
66 | Georgia Williams (NZl) Bepink - La Classica | 0:06:57 |
67 | Ane Santesteban Gonzales (Spa) Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi | |
68 | Stephanie Roorda (Can) Canada | |
69 | Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Orica - AIS | 0:07:01 |
70 | Elinor Barker (GBr) Matrix Fitness | 0:07:02 |
71 | Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) Servetto Footon | |
72 | Jolien D'hoore (Bel) Wiggle Honda | 0:07:04 |
73 | Vita Heine (Nor) Hitec Products | |
74 | Elena Erlato (Ita) Ale Cipollini | 0:07:07 |
75 | Iris Slappendel (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | |
76 | Jermaine Post (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 0:07:29 |
77 | Elena Kuchinskaya (Rus) Servetto Footon | 0:07:36 |
78 | Dorleta Eskamendi Gil (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango | 0:07:45 |
79 | Eugénie Duval (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 | 0:07:50 |
80 | Doris Chweizer (Swi) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 0:08:53 |
81 | Dalia Muccioli (Ita) Ale Cipollini | 0:08:56 |
82 | Victorie Guilman (Fra) France | 0:09:07 |
83 | Amy Cure (Aus) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 0:09:13 |
84 | Miriam Bjørnsrud (Nor) Hitec Products | 0:09:16 |
85 | Susanna Orzi (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 0:09:19 |
86 | Rachel Neylan (Aus) Orica - AIS | 0:09:21 |
87 | Daiva Tuslaite (Ltu) Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi | 0:09:24 |
88 | Marion Sicot (Fra) France | |
89 | Sharon Laws (GBr) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 0:09:29 |
90 | Heather Fischer (USA) USA National Team | 0:09:35 |
91 | Demi De Jong (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 0:09:39 |
92 | Christine Majerus (Lux) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | |
93 | Lierni Lekuona Etxebeste (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango | |
94 | Charlotte Becker (Ger) Hitec Products | |
95 | Yulia Ilinykh (Rus) Bizkaia-Durango | 0:09:42 |
96 | Melodie Lesueur (Fra) France | 0:09:45 |
97 | Annelies Dom (Bel) Lensworld.Eu - Zannata | 0:09:49 |
98 | Ilona Hoeksma (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 0:09:51 |
99 | Annie Foreman-Mackey (Can) Canada | |
100 | Kseniya Tuhai (Blr) Bepink - La Classica | 0:10:15 |
101 | Willeke Knol (Ned) Team Liv - Plantur | 0:10:45 |
102 | Kaat Hannes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Pro-Duo | 0:10:55 |
103 | Margarita Victoria Garcia (Spa) Bizkaia-Durango | 0:10:57 |
104 | Ruby Livingstone (NZl) Bepink - La Classica | 0:11:03 |
105 | Marjolaine Bazin (Fra) France | 0:11:18 |
106 | Jip Van Den Bos (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 0:11:35 |
DNF | Marina Likhanova (Rus) Servetto Footon | |
DNF | Riccarda Mazzotta (Swi) Servetto Footon | |
DNF | Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale Cipollini | |
DNF | Alice Algisi (Ita) Ale Cipollini | |
DNF | Liisi Rist (Est) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi | |
DNF | Anna Trevisi (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi | |
DNF | Julia Soek (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur | |
DNF | Kyara Stijns (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur | |
DNF | Marzhan Baitleuova (Kaz) Astana - Acca Due O | |
DNF | Olena Demydova (Ukr) Astana - Acca Due O | |
DNF | Natalya Saifutdinova (Kaz) Astana - Acca Due O | |
DNF | Makhabbat Umutzhanova (Kaz) Astana - Acca Due O | |
DNF | Lauren Hall (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air | |
DNF | Shana Van Glabeke (Bel) Hitec Products | |
DNF | Silvia Valsecchi (Ita) Bepink Laclassica | |
DNF | Ana Maria Covrig (Rom) Bepink Laclassica | |
DNF | Jaime Nielsen (NZl) Bepink Laclassica | |
DNF | Pauliena Rooijakkers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | |
DNF | Fien Delbaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Pro - Duo | |
DNF | Saartje Vandenbroucke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Pro - Duo | |
DNF | Marissa Otten (Ned) Lensworld.eu - Zannata | |
DNF | Kim De Baat (Ned) Lensworld.eu - Zannata | |
DNF | Annelies Van Doorslaer (Bel) Lensworld.eu - Zannata | |
DNF | Céline Van Severen (Bel) Lensworld.eu - Zannata | |
DNF | Mia Radotic (Cro) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Elena Valentini (Ita) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Jelena Eric (Srb) BTC City Ljubljana | |
DNF | Alexandra Chekina (Rus) Russia | |
DNF | Anastasiia Iakovenko (Rus) Russia | |
DNF | Svetlana Vasilieva (Rus) Russia | |
DNF | Charlotte Bravard (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 | |
DNF | Greta Richioud (Fra) Poitou-Charentes.Futuroscope.86 | |
DNF | Penny Rowson (GBr) Matrix Fitness | |
DNF | Christina Siggaard (Den) Matrix Fitness | |
DNF | Jessie Walker (GBr) Matrix Fitness | |
DNF | Allison Beveridge (Can) Canada | |
DNF | Samara Sheppard (NZl) Bizkaia - Durango |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Anna Van Der Breggen (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 290 | pts |
2 | Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 226 | |
3 | Jolien D'Hoore (Bel) Wiggle Honda | 220 | |
4 | Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Wiggle Honda | 196 | |
5 | Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 195 | |
6 | Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 175 | |
7 | Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Velocio - SRAM | 140 | |
8 | Elena Cecchini (Ita) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 122 | |
9 | Ellen Van Dijk (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 120 | |
10 | Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 120 | |
11 | Megan Guarnier (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 105 | |
12 | Amy Pieters (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur | 100 | |
13 | Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 92 | |
14 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 76 | |
15 | Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica - Ais | 76 | |
16 | Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Velocio - SRAM | 74 | |
17 | Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle Honda | 60 | |
18 | Evelyn Stevens (USA) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 50 | |
19 | Jolanda Neff (Swi) Servetto Footon | 50 | |
20 | Roxane Knetemann (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 42 | |
21 | Chantal Blaak (Ned) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 30 | |
22 | Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale Cipollini | 30 | |
23 | Barbara Guarischi (Ita) Velocio - SRAM | 25 | |
24 | Janneke Ensing (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 24 | |
25 | Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Velocio - SRAM | 20 | |
26 | Kirsten Wild (Ned) Hitec Products | 20 | |
27 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur | 20 | |
28 | Lauren Hall (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air | 18 | |
29 | Carmen Small (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air | 18 | |
30 | Romy Kasper (Ger) Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 18 | |
31 | Eugenia Bujak (Pol) BTC City Ljubljana | 18 | |
32 | Joelle Numainville (Can) Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 14 | |
33 | Valentina Scandolara (Ita) Orica - Ais | 14 | |
34 | Lauren Komanski (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air | 12 | |
35 | Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio - SRAM | 12 | |
36 | Kim De Baat (Ned) Lensworld.eu - Zannata | 12 | |
37 | Rossella Ratto (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi | 12 | |
38 | Carlee Taylor (Aus) Lotto Soudal Ladies | 10 | |
39 | Gracie Elvin (Aus) Orica - Ais | 10 | |
40 | Andrea Dvorak (USA) Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air | 8 | |
41 | Oxana Kozonchuk (Rus) Russia | 8 | |
42 | Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Honda | 6 | |
43 | Amanda Spratt (Aus) Orica - Ais | 4 | |
44 | Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 4 | |
45 | Annabelle Dreville (Fra) France | 2 | |
46 | Lisa Brennauer (Ger) Velocio - SRAM | 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 14 | pts |
2 | Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur | 10 | |
3 | Rossella Ratto (Ita) INPA Sottoli Giusfredi | 10 | |
4 | Jolanda Neff (Swi) Servetto Footon | 6 | |
5 | Anouska Koster (Ned) Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 4 | |
6 | Annabelle Dreville (Fra) France | 2 | |
7 | Floortje Mackaij (Ned) Team Liv-Plantur | 2 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Rabo Liv Women Cycling Team | 679 | pts |
2 | Boels Dolmans Cycling Team | 518 | |
3 | Wiggle Honda | 482 | |
4 | Bigla Pro Cycling Team | 360 | |
5 | Velocio - SRAM | 273 | |
6 | Lotto Soudal Ladies | 132 | |
7 | Team Liv-Plantur | 120 | |
8 | Orica - AIS | 104 | |
9 | Switzerland | 50 | |
10 | United States Of America | 38 | |
11 | Ale Cipollini | 30 | |
12 | Parkhotel Valkenburg Continental Team | 24 | |
13 | Hitec Products | 20 | |
14 | Twenty 16 p/b Sho-Air | 18 | |
14 | BTC City Ljubljana | 18 | |
16 | Lensworld.Eu - Zannata | 12 | |
16 | Inpa Sottoli Giusfredi | 12 | |
18 | Russian Federation | 8 | |
19 | France | 2 |

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