La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2019: Van der Breggen again!

The Wall of Huy is a Dutch mountain. Or so it seems. Marianne Vos won five editions of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes, while Anna van der Breggen equals her compatriot's tally with her fifth win in a row. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results La Flèche Wallonne 2019

1. Anna van der Breggen (nld)
2. Annemiek van Vleuten (nld) + 0.01
3. Annika Langvad (den) + 0.04
4. Marianne Vos (nld) + 0.14
5. Demi Vollering (nld) + 0.16
6. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) + 0.17
7. Ashleigh Moolman (rsa) + 0.20
8. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (den) + 0.23
9. Brodie Chapman (aus) + 0.26
10. Margarita Victoria Garcia Canellas (spa) + 0.33

Race report
After more than 20 kilometres of frantic racing Jasinska, Penuela, Blais, Stephens, Adegeest and Riabchenko open up. Adegeest can’t follow the pace on the first hill, Côte de Warre, while the remaining five carve out a lead of almost 3 minutes.

The field regroups just after the first climb up the Côte d’Ereffe. Riabchenko is the first riders over the Wall of Huy. All pre-race favourites are close behind.

Korevaar, Balsamo, Winder and Shekel break clear in the final lap to race to a lead of 45 seconds, but just before the Côte de Cherave the peloton regroups. On the climb itself the race explodes. Niewiadoma attacks with Van der Breggen, Langvad, Vos, Moolman-Pasio, Mackaij, Van Vleuten, Spratt, Ludwig, Niewiadoma, Canellas, Paladin, Neff, Vollering and Vandevelde able to respond.

Mackaij hits the Wall solo, but Niewiadoma overhauls her on the steepest ramps. The Polish rider doesn’t make it though, as Van der Breggen’s timing is simply perfect. The title holder tracks her down and powers on to solo to victory. Van Vleuten cones in second, Langvad in third.

Other interesting reads: route and start list 2019 La Flèche Wallonne Femmes.