Preview La Flèche Wallonne 2025 - women | Vollering, Kopecky, Niewiadoma, and of course seven-time winner Van der Breggen!

Whatever happens, it will be a special edition of the race that ends on the Mur de Huy because seven-time winner Anna van der Breggen is back in action after her comeback. That is if she feels better than she has in recent weeks. Fun fact: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who also returned to the road peloton this year, has already won the Flèche Wallonne.

Among this impressive line-up are the women who have won the race in the last two years. Demi Vollering was the best in 2023, while last year's tough edition was the prey of Poland's Kasia Niewiadoma. We didn't know it then, but it would be a harbinger of what we saw in the Tour de France Femmes later that year.

2024 Kasia Niewiadoma
2023 Demi Vollering
2022 Marta Cavalli

While the men start from nearby Ciney, the women begin their Flèche Wallonne 'as usual' in Huy. They then quickly enter the province of Namur, where the Côte de Bissinau (2.2 km at 5.5%) and Cote de Petite Somme (1.2 km at 8.0%) are the first obstacles to be overcome. This is in preparation for the local laps around Huy, which ultimately decide the race.

The women will tackle the crucial climb twice, but like the men, the Cote de Cherave has been added to the route. The organizers left this climb out last year. With its 1.3 kilometers at 8.1 percent, it could prove crucial, especially since the final summit is just five kilometers from the finish in Huy.

However, it usually comes down to a showdown on the winding road in Huy, which climbs 1.3 kilometers at 9.5 percent. We will know who will succeed Kasia Niewiadoma around 6 PM local time (noon EDT).

Times.

First, we must mention Anna van der Breggen's return to Flèche Wallonne. The Dutch rider has won the Wednesday classic seven (!), but will she add an eighth? Van der Breggen did not feel great in the Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold Race, causing uncertainty ahead of Huy. SD Worx-Protime can also count on Lotte Kopecky and Femke Gerritse, who are in great form.

Demi Vollering, a former teammate, will join these ladies. The FDJ-Suez leader crashed in the Amstel Gold Race, but the damage seemed relatively minor, and she was proud of the finish her teammate Juliette Labous achieved. With Evita Muzic, a well-known puncher, and Elise Chabbey, FDJ-Suez may well have the team with the best chance of winning this race.

Elisa Longo Borghini has also been among the best so far this spring. The Italian from UAE Team ADQ seemed slowed down by a concussion in the Tour of Flanders but was back in top form last weekend. Last year, she finished third, behind Vollering and Canyon//SRAM winner Kasia Niewiadoma. The Polish rider is once again among the contenders.

Liane Lippert is also having a good spring for Movistar. She followed Vollering on the Cauberg and finished on the podium in the Tour of Flanders, giving hope for Wednesday. After her good performance in the Amstel Gold Race, Puck Pieterse will be at the start with the same attitude in the Fenix-Deceuninck jersey, where she has two other good climbers in Yara Kastelijn and Pauliena Rooijakkers.

Former winner Marta Cavalli will also be present on behalf of Picnic PostNL. Like Aisleigh-Moolman, Kim Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal-Quick Step), Silke Smulders (Liv Jayco AlUla), Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly), and Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek), we consider her an outsider. Based on the provisional start list, it is unclear whether former winners Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Marianne Vos will participate on behalf of Visma | Lease a Bike.

Top favorites: Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ)

The Flèche Wallonne for Women will be broadcast on Wednesday by Sporza (VRT 1), NOS (NPO 1), and Eurosport (main channel and HBO Max). After the men's finish, which is scheduled for around 4:30 PM local time (10:30 AM EDT), you can watch the last hour of the women's race.