Who can succeed Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney this week in Flèche Wallonne Femmes? The traditional midweek race of the Ardennes will take place as usual centred on the Mur du Huy and there is no shortage of candidates to take the throne of the 28th edition. The last four victors have thrown their hats into the ring: Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney (2024), Demi Vollering (2023), Marta Cavalli (2022) and of course the Queen of Huy Anna van der Breggen. Van Der Breggen is returning to a race where she has almost never experienced defeat. The Dutchwoman turned the Mur de Huy into an impregnable fortress, claiming seven victories in a row, more than any other male or female rider.
After three seasons away from the peloton (but not from cycling, as she had been working as sports director for SD Worx–Protime), the 35-year-old climber came out of retirement earlier this year. She has definitely not lost her touch, as she proved from the beginning of the season, when she was the only rider able to match Demi Vollering —whom she had been training throughout the last three seasons— pedal stroke for pedal stroke on long climbs. The duel between the undisputed master of the race and her former apprentice, who already put on quite a show in the Strade Bianche, promises to keep fans on the edges of their seats. The only question mark is how Van Der Bergen will be after being unwell at Amstel Gold on Sunday. She was reported to have picked up a heavy cold and on her social media she showed an image of her tracking device showing a low score for fitness levels.
Demi Vollering (FDJ–Suez) is bringing serious firepower with her in her team. The FDJ Suez team will include Elise Chabbey (ninth in 2023), Évita Muzic (fourth last year and fifth in 2023) and Juliette Labous (sixth in 2021), who finished an impressive fourth in the Strade Bianche, all podium contenders in their own right.
As usual, the event is one of the top races for the best climbers in the world. Among them are the first six riders on GC of the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift: Kasia Niewiadoma Phinney, Demi Vollering, Pauliena Rooijakkers, Évita Muzic, Gaia Realini and Cédrine Kerbaol.
A repeat win for Niewiadoma Phinney would be a good omen for the Pole after she crossed the line first in 2024 and went on to win the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. She will have a rock solid team including the charismatic Danish rider Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (second in 2020) having joined her team last winter.
However, Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) or Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance–Soudal) could finally get their break this year. Twelve years after sharing their first podium, with the Italian in second place and the South African in third, these two riders have yet to taste glory in Huy despite their metronomic consistency. Moolman Pasio has cracked the top 6 eleven times in fourteen starts, while Longo Borghini has clinched four podium finishes. Fifth and third last year, respectively, they have now got their sights firmly set on the same target. The same goes for Gaia Realini (Lidl–Trek, third in 2023), Liane Lippert (Movistar, second in 2023) and all the other riders who want to become the Queen of the Hill.
