La Flèche Wallonne Femmes opens with a loop of 58 kilometres before two times a 36 kilometres lap. The first one features the Côte de Bohissau and the Wall of Huy, while the second takes in the Côte d’Ereffe, Côte de Cherave and again the Wall of Huy.
The Ereffe is 2.1 kilometres long and goes up at 5%. A rolling descent of 12 kilometres leads to the foot of the Cherave climb. It’s a 1.3 kilometres toil at 8.1% with a notably steep first part.
A 2 kilometres descent leads into Huy and the riders wind their way to the foot of the local Wall. Also 1.3 kilometres long, but even steeper then the Cherave. It begins relatively easy, but after 400 metres the gradient kicks up to more than 10%, only to drop to 6% when the riders enter the 100 metres home straight.
Anna van der Breggen won the race seven times in a row in the period in 2015-2021. Marta Cavalli took over the baton last year. She clung on to Annemiek van Vleuten’s back wheel for the most part of the final haul up of the Wall of Huy before she emerged victorious in the last 30 metres. Demi Vollering took third place.
It was the third time that Van Vleuten ended up in second place. In 2015 and 2019 it was her omnipotent compatriot who outgunned her, last year Cavalli. La Flèche Wallonne Femmes is one of the few races that was never won by the reigning World Champion.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2023.
Other interesting reads: results and start list 2023 Flèche Wallonne Femmes.
La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2023: route, profiles, more
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