Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes 2018: Van der Breggen bests Spratt to take second Doyenne

Liège-Bastogne-Liège for women amounts to 135.5 kilometres, while Côte de la Vecquée, Côte de la Redoute, Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons and Côte de Saint-Nicolas are the most prominent hurdles. Van der Breggen tracks attacker Spratt down on that last climb to leave her alone on the uphill to the line. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes 2018

1. Anna van der Breggen (nld)
2. Amanda Spratt (aus) + 0.06
3. Annemiek van Vleuten (nld) + 0.58
4. Ashleigh Moolman (rsa) + 1.13
5. Ellen van Dijk (nld) s.t.
6. Sabrina Stultiens (nld) s.t.
7. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (fra) s.t.
8. Megan Guarnier (usa) s.t.
9. Shara Gillow (aus) s.t.
10. Rossella Ratto (ita) s.t.

Race report
Louise Norman Hansen is the first attacker and Rachel Neylan en Maaike Boogaard track her down. After a 20 kms stint at the front Boogaard is replaced by Vita Heine. Gap widens to more than 1 minute to hovering there for a while.

On Côte de La Vecquée Julie van de Velde bridges across, while Norman Hansen and Neylan get dropped. But the attack is not very successful as shortly after the top it comes all back together.

Only 30 riders left in the main peloton when Alena Amialiusik strikes on La Redoute. The Belarusian sets up a second attack by her team-mate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, who puts 1 minute into the peloton before it comes down and Anna van der Breggen, Megan Guarnier and Ashleigh Moolman catch her on Côte de La Roche-aux-Faucons. While Ferrand-Prevot is dropped Annemiek van Vleuten joins the front group.

Six riders track the four down before Amanda Spratt heads out alone. She puts 55 seconds into the chasing group, where more riders hook on.

45 seconds ahead of the chasers the Australian tackles Côte de Saint-Nicolas. Moolman and Van der Breggen go after her, but only the Olympic Champion bridges across. Van Vleuten rejoins Moolman.

Van der Breggen goes alone on the last uphill run-in to the line to take her second win in La Doyenne in the second edition of the race. Spratt comes in second, while Van Vleuten rounds out the podium.