La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2017: Third in a row for Van der Breggen

La Flèche Wallonne Femmes amounts to 120 kilometres, while the route takes in seven hills. The penultimate climb, Côte de Cherave, is decisive. Niewiadoma, Deignan-Armitstead and Van der Breggen are in the lead when the Olympic Champion attacks to solo to victory on the Wall of Huy. Just like in 2015 and 2016. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2017

1. Anna van der Breggen (nld)
2. Lizzie Deignan (gbr) + 0.16
3. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (pol) + 0.25
4. Annemiek van Vleuten (nld) + 0.43
5. Shara Gillow (aus) + 0.49
6. Ashleigh Moolman (rsa) + 0.54
7. Coryn Rivera (usa) + 0.56
8. Janneke Ensing (nld) + 0.58
9. Katrin Garfoot (aus) + 1.00
10. Favia Oliveira (bra) + 1.02

Race report
With 21 kms done Katia Ragusa and Sofie De Vuyst go on the attack. Allie Dragoo and Anisha Vekemans bridge over and the quartet races to a maximum lead of 3 minutes.

When hitting the second climb of the day, Côte d’Amay, the gap is down to less than 1 minute. Vekemans and Ragusa can’t follow the pace and are dropped.

After the Côte de Villers-le-Bouillet Ashleigh Moolman chases down the front group and she heads out on her own on the Wall of Huy, but shortly after the top she is caught by the main group.

Marie Vilmann and Tetiana Riabchenko forge clear and the duo crests Côte d’Ereffe with a 40 seconds lead over the peloton, but they are brought back when Kasia Niewiadoma attacks on Côte de Cherave. Deignan bridges over and Van der Breggen hooks up just before the top. The Oympic Champion heads out on her own before tackling the Wall of Huy and she forges on to take her third win in a row in the women’s Flèche Wallonne.

Read about the route of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2017.