Impressive Demi Vollering arrives solo to win historic Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes victory

Demi Vollering has won Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes for the third time — and the first woman ever to do so. The Dutch FDJ-SUEZ leader attacked on the Côte de la Redoute and rode the final 34 kilometres alone, not seeing her rivals again until the finish line. Puck Pieterse took second in a sprint with Kasia Niewiadoma and Anna van der Breggen, who finished fourth.

The women's Liège-Bastogne-Liège cannot quite claim the history of La Doyenne yet. The first edition was held in 2017, making this year's race a landmark — the tenth time the event has been contested. In that short time, however, it has already built a rich story of its own, with Van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten each winning twice, and Vollering — before today — also twice.

Van der Breggen, the race's first-ever winner, lined up again today alongside Vollering. The European champion looked like the rider to beat, though she was beaten here last year. Defending champion Kim Le Court-Pienaar was absent through injury. Also on the start line: Pieterse, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Niewiadoma, and spring revelation Paula Blasi, who won the Amstel Gold Race women's edition.

Unlike the men's race — which split chaotically within the first few kilometres — the women's peloton stayed together for a long time in the opening phase. Attacks were plentiful, but none stuck. Elise Chabbey (FDJ-SUEZ), Nienke Vinke (SD Worx-Protime), Femke de Vries (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) all tried early without success.

After more than an hour, a break finally formed. Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime) attacked and found no one willing to go with her, so she set off alone. She built a lead of a minute, and it kept growing. By the foot of the Côte de Wanne — the first climb of the final section — her advantage stood at 2 minutes 20 seconds.

The hills soon brought the peloton back, though. The gap fell below a minute, and with 80 kilometres to go — roughly halfway through the race — Gerritse was caught. The peloton stayed intact for a while longer, until Visma | Lease a Bike put Ferrand-Prévot on the front to liven things up. The Frenchwoman couldn't get away, but it lit the fuse. Maeva Squiban (UAE) launched an attack and took a strong group with her. Lotte Kopecky was notably absent from the peloton by this point. The move was caught before the Redoute, and all eyes turned to the main contenders.

On the Côte de la Redoute, FDJ-SUEZ turned the screw — and Vollering launched her attack. Pieterse and Niewiadoma briefly looked like they could follow, but were ultimately unable to hold her wheel. The gap was not yet decisive, but it only grew. Despite good cooperation in the chase trio of Niewiadoma, Pieterse and Isabelle Holmgren, Vollering's lead consolidated. Ferrand-Prévot and Van der Breggen were further back still.

Vollering held a lead of almost 30 seconds, with the chasers working well behind her. With 15 kilometres to go, though, the race was effectively decided. Her lead had stretched to over a minute, with the Van der Breggen and Ferrand-Prévot group riding 30 seconds further back.

Ferrand-Prévot was struggling, but Van der Breggen put in a dig — joined by Elise Chabbey and Paula Blasi — in pursuit of the Pieterse group, just 20 seconds ahead. Only Van der Breggen was able to bridge the gap. Blasi and Chabbey were dropped. And when Van der Breggen arrived, she attacked immediately. The acceleration was one too many for Holmgren, and suddenly the leading chase group was down to three.

Those three chasers couldn't close the gap to Vollering. They didn't see her again until the finish line. Pieterse won the sprint for second ahead of Niewiadoma, with Van der Breggen fourth.