La Flèche Wallonne 2021 [FULL RACE] (ladies)

April 21, 2021

La Flèche Wallonne 2021 WE – Huy – Mur de Huy : 130,2 km

La Flèche Wallonne Feminine is the oldest of the three Ardennes Classics, with a series only having been in place for women since 2017 when Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition made its return after a 14-year hiatus and the debut of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Van der Breggen is the only rider in the sport’s history to have won La Flèche Wallonne six times, winning every edition since 2015. The only riders to come close to her success are Marianne Vos, who won the women’s race five times (2007-09, 2011, 2013) and Alejandro Valverde, who won the men’s edition five times (2006, 2014-2017). This year’s race will begin in Huy and follow a 130.2 kilometre course that includes six major climbs; Côte de Thon, Côte de Groynne, Côte de Haut-Bois, Côte de Gives, Mur de Huy (first passage), Côte d’Ereffe, Côte du Chemin des Gueuses and the finale up the Mur de Huy. The women’s field will depart from the start line in Huy and race a long loop through the Wallonia region of Belgium that includes four categorised climb.

Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx) won the Flèche Wallonne Féminine for the seventh time in a row with another show of climbing ability and control.

Leading a small group of favourites onto the Mur de Huy and catching lone attacker Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo) early on the climb, Van der Breggen remained in control all the way up to the finish.

Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) was the only one who could stay with the world champion, and the two rode side by side until Van der Breggen started her sprint with 100 metres to go, quickly distancing Niewiadoma and surging to victory.

Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) finished in third place, beating Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) in a bike throw to the line.

“It is mostly about the Mur in the end, but the race was hard from the beginning, the pace was really high on all the climbs,” Van der Breggen said of her historic seventh victory.

“It was a good battle with Kasia and she was strong, but I am really happy I could win this one. It is a strange thought that I am sitting here for the last time in this race. But next year I won’t bother the girls anymore, it’s up to somebody else, and that’s a good thing. Seven straight wins is incredible.”

“We made some tactical mistakes and needed to chase, but the team did that really well. And in the final, Demi [Vollering] almost closed the gap to Ruth, that was incredible.”

“We did not have control during the whole race, so there was a bit more pressure for me, too, because the girls had worked so hard already,” she continued.

How it unfolded

Marta Lach (Ceratizit-WNT) and Femke Gerritse (Parkhotel Valkenburg) formed the early breakaway but were reeled in by the peloton halfway through the 130.2-kilometre race.

The next move came from Lucinda Brand (Trek-Segafredo), Anna Henderson (Team Jumbo-Visma), and Elise Chabbey (Canyon-SRAM) who built an advantage of up to 1:20 minutes during an aggressive race.

Their lead dropped to 31 seconds at the first passage of the finish line atop the Mur de Huy with 31.7 km to go, and Team SD Worx continued to chase hard to reduce the gap further until the break was reeled in just after the Côte d’Ereffe during the final circuit.

US national champion Ruth Winder (Trek-Segafredo) attacked on her own, and as the pace in the peloton slowed, Chabbey was able to get away again and start a solo chase. The Swiss champion crashed in a tight corner and was caught on the run-in to the penultimate climb, the Côte de chemin des Gueuses. However Winder was still ahead and fully committed to the attack, forcing Trek-Segafredo’s rivals to make the chase.

An acceleration by Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) on the Côte de chemin des Gueuses split the peloton, with only nine riders remaining in the first group, less than ten seconds behind Winder. They were Van Vleuten, Longo Borghini, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Van der Breggen, Amanda Spratt (Team BikeExchange), Niewiadoma, Juliette Labous (Team DSM), Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx), and Margarita Victoria García (Alé BTC Ljubljana).

This group of nine traded attacks on the way towards Huy, though nobody could get away.

With the pace rising and falling, Winder extended her gap to 30 seconds again and seemed to have a chance of victory. However Vollering took the lead in the group, working for her teammate van der Breggen, and reduced the gap to only a few seconds as Winder started the Mur de Huy.

Van der Breggen led the group of favourites onto the climb, soon went past Winder, and stayed in front for most of the Mur as one rider after the other suffered and lost contact.

Only Niewiadoma could keep up with van der Breggen, riding side by side with the world champion and even making an acceleration 150 metres from the line that briefly put the 26-year-old Pole in the lead. However, Van der Breggen responded with her own surge at the 100-metre mark and left Niewiadoma behind to celebrate her seventh consecutive victory in the Flèche Wallonne Féminine.

Although she finished outside the top-ten, Marianne Vos (Team Jumbo-Visma) defended the lead in the UCI Women’s WorldTour ranking.

Maria Novolodskaya (A.R. Monex) took the lead in the Women’s WorldTour U23 ranking.

Results :
1 Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Team SD Worx 3:28:27
2 Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Pol) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:00:02
3 Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:06
4 Annemiek van Vleuten (Ned) Movistar Team Women
5 Mavi Garcia (Spa) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:00:22
6 Juliette Labous (Fra) Team DSM 0:00:28
7 Ruth Winder (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:31
8 Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Den) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:00:32
9 Amanda Spratt (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:00:35
10 Demi Vollering (Ned) Team SD Worx 0:00:42
11 Marianne Vos (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:01:32
12 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (RSA) Team SD Worx 0:01:36
13 Erica Magnaldi (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:01:38
14 Krista Doebel-Hickok (USA) Rally Cycling 0:01:39
15 Katrine Aalerud (Nor) Movistar Team Women 0:01:42
16 Leah Thomas (USA) Movistar Team Women
17 Kristen Faulkner (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:01:43
18 Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Liv Racing 0:01:45
19 Lucy Kennedy (Aus) Team BikeExchange 0:01:48
20 Evita Muzic (Fra) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:50
21 Mariia Novolodskaia (Rus) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team 0:01:53
22 Brodie Chapman (Aus) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope 0:01:55
23 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:03
24 Elise Chabbey (Swi) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:02:06
25 Mikayla Harvey (NZl) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:02:07
26 Soraya Paladin (Ita) Liv Racing 0:02:21
27 Ane Santesteban Gonzalez (Spa) Team BikeExchange
28 Hanna Nilsson (Swe) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:03:20
29 Sandra Levenez (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
30 Niamh Fisher-Black (NZl) Team SD Worx 0:03:23
31 Janneke Ensing (Ned) Team BikeExchange
32 Julie Van De Velde (Bel) Jumbo-Visma Women Team
33 Anouska Koster (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:03:27
34 Tayler Wiles (USA) Trek-Segafredo
35 Anna Shackley (GBr) Team SD Worx 0:03:30
36 Clara Koppenburg (Ger) Rally Cycling 0:03:36
37 Barbara Malcotti (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:03:39
38 Eider Merino Cortazar (Spa) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team 0:03:45
39 Alena Amialiusik (Blr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:03:57
40 Coryn Rivera (USA) Team DSM 0:05:11
41 Karol-Ann Canuel (Can) Team SD Worx 0:05:17
42 Arlenis Sierra Canadilla (Cub) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
43 Thalita De Jong (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
44 Joscelin Lowden (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:05:25
45 Marit Raaijmakers (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:05:30
46 Marlen Reusser (Swi) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
47 Lauren Stephens (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:05:35
48 Alison Jackson (Can) Liv Racing 0:05:37
49 Kathrin Hammes (Ger) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:05:42
50 Omer Shapira (Isr) Canyon-SRAM Racing
51 Lucie Jounier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:05:56
52 Paula Patiño Bedoya (Col) Movistar Team Women 0:05:58
53 Federica Piergiovanni (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service 0:05:59
54 Valerie Demey (Bel) Liv Racing 0:06:08
55 Léa Curinier (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team 0:06:12
56 Eri Yonamine (Jpn) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:06:15
57 Julia van Bokhoven (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:06:26
58 Anna Henderson (GBr) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:06:59
59 Anastasiia Chursina (Rus) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:09:47
60 Teuntje Beekhuis (Ned) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:09:49
61 Olha Kulynych (Ukr) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team 0:09:52
62 Sara Martin Martin (Spa) Movistar Team Women 0:09:54
63 Lara Vieceli (Ita) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
64 Emily Newsom (USA) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank 0:09:57
65 Carolin Schiff (Ger) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch 0:09:59
66 Michaela Drummond (NZl) BePink
67 Olga Zabelinskaya (Uzb) Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team
68 Lone Meertens (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies 0:10:02
69 Anna Christian (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur 0:10:08
70 Nina Buijsman (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg 0:10:12
71 Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana 0:10:14
72 Georgia Williams (NZl) Team BikeExchange
73 Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
74 Romy Kasper (Ger) Jumbo-Visma Women Team 0:10:18
75 Jeanne Korevaar (Ned) Liv Racing
76 Liane Lippert (Ger) Team DSM
77 Nadia Quagliotto (Ita) BePink
78 Hannah Barnes (GBr) Canyon-SRAM Racing 0:11:07
79 Lauretta Hanson (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 0:11:11
80 Aigul Gareeva (Rus) Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team 0:12:13
81 Marta Lach (Pol) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team 0:13:32
82 Marta Jaskulska (Pol) Liv Racing 0:13:40
83 Sara Poidevin (Can) Rally Cycling 0:13:48
OTL Stine Borgli (Nor) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
OTL Nina Kessler (Ned) Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank
OTL Marta Bastianelli (Ita) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
OTL Sophie Wright (GBr) Ale’ BTC Ljubljana
OTL Laura Asencio (Fra) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
OTL Alana Castrique (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
OTL Elise Vander Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal Ladies
OTL Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
OTL Silvia Magri (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
OTL Silvia Pollicini (Ita) Valcar-Travel & Service
OTL Femke Gerritse (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
OTL Danielle Christmas (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
OTL Sara Penton (Swe) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
OTL Typhaine Laurance (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
OTL Greta Richioud (Fra) Arkea Pro Cycling Team
OTL Iuliia Galimullina (Rus) Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team
OTL Justine Ghekiere (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
OTL Kelly Van Den Steen (Bel) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
OTL Amber Aernouts (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
OTL Fien Van Eynde (Bel) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
OTL Katie Clouse (USA) Rally Cycling
OTL Heidi Franz (USA) Rally Cycling
OTL Leigh Ann Ganzar (USA) Rally Cycling
OTL Vania Canvelli (Ita) BePink
OTL Mae Lang (Est) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
OTL Georgia Danford (NZl) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
OTL Rylee McMullen (NZl) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
OTL Sandra Weiss (Swi) Andy Schleck-CP NVST-Immo Losch
DNF Sarah Rijkes (Aut) Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
DNF Lieke Nooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
DNF Sofie van Rooijen (Ned) Parkhotel Valkenburg
DNF Mariia Miliaeva (Rus) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
DNF Maria Vittoria Sperotto (Ita) A.R. Monex Women’s Pro Cycling Team
DNF Alice Towers (GBr) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
DNF Maike Van der Duin (Ned) Drops-le Col Supported by Tempur
DNF Hannah Buch (Ger) Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team
DNF Thalea Mäder (Ger) Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team
DNF Petra Stiasny (Swi) Cogeas Mettler Look Pro Cycling Team
DNF Claudia Jongerius (Ned) Bingoal Casino-Chevalmeire
DNF Minke Bakker (Ned) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
DNF Barbara Sniezynska (Pol) Doltcini-Van Eyck-Proximus Continental Team
DNF Camilla Alessio (Ita) BePink
DNF Marketa Hájková (Cze) BePink
DNF Silvia Zanardi (Ita) BePink
DNS Marta Cavalli (Ita) FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope