Demi Vollering holds off late Puck Pieterse charge to win La Flèche Wallonne Femmes

Demi Vollering won La Flèche Wallonne Femmes on Wednesday afternoon. After a commanding team performance, the Dutchwoman sprinted to victory on the Mur de Huy in impressive fashion. Puck Pieterse came very close with a late charge, but could not quite overcome her compatriot.

After the men's race had been decided, the women also started in Huy on Wednesday. While several top names were missing from the men's race, the women's field was at full strength. Pieterse was defending her title, having beaten Demi Vollering and Elisa Longo Borghini on the iconic Mur de Huy last year.

The Italian was absent this time around, but with Pieterse, Vollering, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Kasia Niewiadoma and Anna van der Breggen in the field, the slopes of the Mur de Huy (0.8 km at 11.7%) promised a battle between the sport's very best. The peloton also lined up with several former winners in its ranks.

From the start there was immediate interest in the day's breakaway. Lotte Claes (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Malou Eisen (VolkerWessels) thought they could make it work as a pair, but a strong counter-attack followed behind them. The eventual breakaway therefore included big names such as Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez), Erica Magnaldi (UAE) and Ricarda Bauernfeind (Lidl-Trek).

With several major teams represented in the move, however, the breakaway was never given much room. At 72 kilometres from the finish they were already caught by the chasing peloton, bringing the field together for the local finishing circuits. It was primarily Visma | Lease a Bike and FDJ-Suez who set the agenda there.

For a long time Vollering's team kept the tempo high, preventing any new attacks from sticking. Then, with 35 kilometres to go, Axelle Dubau-Prévot (EF) — sister of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot — and Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X) went on the attack. The pair never built a lead of much more than a minute, though they did begin the final local circuit with a gap.

In the bunch, Visma | Lease a Bike and FDJ-Suez remained in control heading into the finale, just as they had been all day. The leading pair had just 30 seconds in hand with 10 kilometres to go, as it was already getting crowded at the front of the peloton ahead of the Côte de Cherave (1.5 km at 7.3%) — the penultimate climb of the day.

FDJ-Suez turned the screw on the Cherave. The peloton split, but all the top favourites appeared well-positioned. The pace set by Elise Chabbey (FDJ) was merciless, however. Unlike in the men's race, it looked as though the peloton would not arrive intact on the Mur de Huy. The most notable casualties appeared to be Maeva Squiban (UAE) and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance).

As the final kilometre began, a full lead-out was delivered for Vollering, who then opened up the throttle herself. With a composed, almost expressionless look, the Dutchwoman rode everyone off her wheel. Niewiadoma and a surprising Paula Blasi tried longest to hold on, but watched the FDJ leader disappear up the road. Pieterse came back with a fierce sprint and got agonisingly close, but it was Vollering who held on for victory. Young Blasi completed the podium.