NIEWIADOMA RETURNS TO VICTORIOUS GROUNDS AT LA FLÈCHE WALLONNE

It’s hard to look ahead to this year’s edition of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes without first revisiting Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney’s incredible 2024 victory atop the punishing, spellbinding slopes of the Mur de Huy. It was a real turning point – a triumph that ended a five-year drought filled with relentless attacks and near-misses. It shattered a glass ceiling, opening the trajectory for Kasia’s yellow-hued July, ultimately leaving her exhausted yet jubilant atop Alpe d’Huez.

Joining Kasia for her 12th tilt at the La Flèche Wallonne, where she’s already stood on the podium twice and now returns as defending champion, are loyal lieutenants from last year, Soraya Paladin and Antonia Niedermaier, together with Neve Bradbury, Alice Towers and 2020 runner-up, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

Starting from the Grand-Place de Huy, just a stone’s throw from the river Meuse, the race typically heads uphill almost immediately, into the continually lumpy and relentless Ardennes heartland. Last year, the opening loop took riders in a south-westerly direction, whereas this year it’s south-easterly, tracing a blunted saw-toothed profile of gradual ups and downs. At kilometre 58, riders face the intimidating Côte de Petite Somme — 1.2km at 8.6%, with ramps up to 12%. Narrow farm roads will only exacerbate the constant tussle for position.

In total, this year’s course features eight climbs across 140.5km – a number that might seem modest next to the 12 recognised ascents of Ronde van Vlaanderen, but not all hills are created equal. In the Ardennes, the ascents are longer and more enduring, favouring climbers who can also handle an intense yet sustained effort rather than shorter, punchier bursts. The total elevation gain of 2302 metres speaks for itself.

All of these climbs fade into insignificance when compared to the mighty Mur de Huy (1.3km at 9.8%) — a ruthlessly steep ascent that demands a full-blown sufferfest all the way to the finish line on top. Despite the various launchpads and course features that could inspire aggressive, opportunistic racing, La Flèche Wallonne is almost always decided on the Mur de Huy.

It might seem unnecessary to mention the other climbs, but while they rarely determine the race outcome directly, each moment of difficulty chips away at fuel stores and whittles down the peloton. With 62 kilometres remaining, the peloton will enter the finishing circuit for 1.5 laps, stacking effort upon effort with the Côte d’Ereffe (2.1km at 5.6%), the Côte de Cherave (1.3km at 7.7%) and then the crescendo on the monstrous Mur – a sequence that’s repeated twice.

Absent from last year’s route, the Côte de Cherave adds extra bite to an already taxing finale and might prove one climb too many for some. Its 2km descent followed by 2km of flat along the river builds the liveliness and anticipation ahead of the eye-watering gradients on the Chemin des Chapelles — a brutally steep street in Belgian suburbia named after the seven chapels along its path. Riders simply cannot count chapels as they grind upwards while grimacing at their stem, so they just call it ‘the Mur’.

HOW TO FOLLOW

La Flèche Wallonne Femmes | 1.WWT | Wednesday April 23 | 140.5km | 2302m elevation | Start 14:00 CET – fastest finish 17:44.

Live coverage from 16:55 CET on Sporza, Eurosport/ Discovery Plus, TNT Sports, FloBikes (Canada) and SBS Sports (Australia).

Stay updated on X with #FlecheWallonne and #FlecheWallonneFemmes, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto’s social channels for team updates.