Pieterse confident she can beat Vollering on Sunday: 'I don't need to be afraid to wait for a sprint'

Third, first, second — those were Puck Pieterse's results across the Ardennes spring of 2025. This year she finished tenth at the Amstel Gold Race, but she was back to her best at La Flèche Wallonne with second place on the Mur de Huy. Can she improve on her runner-up finish at Liège-Bastogne-Liège? She spoke about her Monument debut on the Dutch language podcast In de Waaier.

Pieterse has shown some of her best form this spring: sixth at Strade Bianche, fourth at Milan-San Remo, third at the Tour of Flanders, and second at La Flèche Wallonne. Liège-Bastogne-Liège will bring her spring to a close. "I'm really looking forward to it, actually. I hope to carry that good feeling into the race."

After a difficult Amstel Gold Race, Pieterse was back to her best in Huy. She didn't manage to defend her title, but she came close — almost catching top favourite Vollering. The steeper, sharper climbs of Wallonia clearly suit her better than those of Limburg. But why exactly?

The answer lies in her background as a top-level cyclo-cross rider. "I think coming from cyclo-cross, I'm used to accelerating out of a corner in rhythm, at speed. That vicious little punch out of a bend. I think a Ferrand-Prévot from two years ago would have beaten everyone here. But she's been retraining herself more for the longer efforts, I get the impression."

Pieterse knows where she needs to be on Sunday: the Côte de la Redoute and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. "I've only raced it once, so I don't have a great deal of Liège experience. That Tour de France stage I won also went over the Redoute and the Roche-aux-Faucons. The decisive move was made on the Roche that day, but after La Redoute the group was already very small. From La Redoute, everything gets torn apart, I think."

Vollering will be the top favourite given her form — and her team. "The heavier the race, the more it plays into FDJ's hands, because Demi has an enormous engine. At the Flèche Wallonne they were already driving a very high tempo on every single climb, which meant most riders were dropped before we even reached the Mur. But from La Redoute, there's still a long way to go. Annemiek once went solo from La Redoute, so it can certainly be done."

FDJ-SUEZ has won almost every major Classic this year, establishing itself as one of the new powerhouses in the peloton. "You do notice that a new bloc has arrived, alongside SD Worx who also pick their moments carefully. We had one year of a very strong Lidl-Trek team, and UAE has become very strong too. It's coming from more teams than just FDJ."

In her debut last year, Pieterse was one of the strongest riders in the race. After an exhausting day, she arrived at the line in a group of four — along with Vollering, Cédrine Kerbaol and Kimberley Le Court-Pienaar. It was the rider from Mauritius who made history with the win, while Pieterse from Fenix-Premier Tech took second. But a new race brings new chances.

Especially since the swift Le Court-Pienaar will not be there to defend her title. Pieterse can therefore lean a little more on her own speed. "With this field, it could well come down to a sprint again. Or playing the surprise card — but I think I shouldn't be afraid to wait for a sprint either. After a race that saps you like this one does, a sprint feels very different from when you're fresh."