It’s been a heck of a spring so far, huh? With two blocks of World Tour racing, first in Italy, then on the cobbles of Flanders, we’ve had a range of different winners, a few surprises, and enjoyed some unforgettable moments as well as a helping of heartbreak.
Our Italian block opened with Strade Bianche, which birthed a new rivalry between master and student, as Anna van der Breggen took the race to her former employee Demi Vollering, proving to all her doubters that she was still competitive, despite missing out on the win. The balance of power at Trofeo Alfredo Binda remained firmly in the Lidl-Trek camp as Elisa Balsamo won her third edition of the race, establishing herself once again as a very capable climber, despite her sprinting speciality. The final race of the block was the first edition of the women’s Milano-Sanremo in 20 years, and though Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) went close, it was Lorena Wiebes who stamped her authority on La Primavera, with the help of a monster lead-out from world champion Lotte Kopecky.
Onto Flanders, and the cobbles, and Team SD Worx-ProTime continued their dominance, with Wiebes on fire, dominating the Classic Brugge-de Panne and Gent-Wevelgem, before Elisa Longo Borghini was able to break their run of victories at Dwars Door Vlaanderen. It was only a blip, however, as the Dutch side were back to winning ways at the Tour of Flanders, Lotte Kopecky winning her third edition of the race, delighting the Belgian faithful and making history in the process. She was unable to continue her streak at the Hell of the North the following weekend however, without the legs to follow the perfectly timed attack of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma-Lease A Bike), who became the first Frenchwoman to win Paris-Roubaix, another legendary veteran returning to the peloton for 2025 after a long break and like van der Breggen, proving she was not just here to make up the numbers.
A trio of World Tour races are up next for the women’s peloton in the Flemish (and Dutch) Ardennes, marking a turning point in the season, a transition between the flatter, grittier cobbled races of Flanders and the long days of the Grand Tour season, which follows on after.
Amstel Gold Race (20 April)
The bridge from Flanders to the Ardennes actually takes place in the Netherlands, as the peloton briefly step outside of Belgium and head out across the Limburg region of the country. The area stands out in a nation famous for its flat profile, with a series of iconic bergs to tackle that will shape the narrative of the Amstel Gold Race, alongside the difficulties posed by the varied parcours, which shifts from narrow country lanes in the early part of the race, to the challenges of urban roads on the final circuit, with multiple roundabouts to navigate and items of road furniture to dodge.
The central challenge of the race is the Cauberg: 800m in length at an average gradient of 6.5%, the climb is short but explosive, offering a launchpad for attacks on each of its repetitions – and this year, there are FIVE of them, with the final ascent coming just 2 kilometres from the finish line. Additionally, the Bemelerberg and Geulhemmerberg will help to progressively slim down the peloton as each circuit is tackled.
Whatever happens, the race organisers will hope for a fully competitive edition following a curtailed race in 2024 after a traffic accident.
Contenders – punchy opportunists
Five former champions of the race line up to take it on in 2025: Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease A Bike), Demi Vollering (FDJ SUEZ), Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx-ProTime), Marta Cavalli (Team Picnic-PostNL) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto). It’s fair to say that any of them could potentially triumph this time around, but there are a whole host of other riders who will hope to disrupt the favourites. Lotte Kopecky may not have won in the Ardennes before but with her climbing skills honed, she will likely be in the mix, and of the three races, this is the one which suits her attributes the most closely.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto) will hope to come into form for these races, either to help Niewiadoma or to fight for the win in her own right. Movistar’s Liane Lippert proved in Flanders that she is in great shape and the Ardennes classics suit her profile perfectly. EF Education-Oatly have been competitive throughout the classics, with young riders Noemi Rüegg and Letizia Borghesi both recording breakthrough results, but in the Ardennes Kristen Faulkner will be one to watch, as will new recruit Cédrine Kerbaol who hasn’t yet found her stride for the team with her favoured races still ahead of her.
And don’t rule out Puck Pieterse or Yara Kastelijn of Fenix-Deceuninck – while neither have come through with the results they would have hoped for this spring – Pieterse in particular – both are Tour de France Femmes stage winners, and Pieterse won the Amstel Gold Race x Liege-Bastogne-Liege mash-up stage at last summer’s race, so will be feeling confident on this terrain.
Prediction: too close to call - but I think last season's teammates and Strade Bianche adversaries will face off for the win in Valkenberg.
5: Demi Vollering, Lotte Kopecky
4: Liane Lippert
3: Kasia Niewiadoma
2: Puck Pieterse
1: Cédrine Kerbaol
La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (23 April)
La Flèche Wallonne Féminine is the second-oldest women's one-day classic, after Trofeo Alfredo Binda, with this year's edition the 28th in its history. The race includes over 2000m of altitude gain, though most of them will feel like they’re concentrated within the race’s formidable obstacle, the Mur de Huy.
The fearsome feature climb of La Flèche Wallonne is intimidating to say the least. 1.3km in length, averaging out at almost 10% gradient but with pitches of up to 17%, the double ascent of the climb doesn’t only conclude the race but completely defines it, to the point where the race is won on the climb every year, with riders saving their matches to ensure they have enough left in the tank to conquer its dizzying gradient. Like Milano-Sanremo then, the race will almost certainly come down to the final ascent of the Mur.
Contenders – the most honest test
Last year's edition was a cracker. Starting out in horrendous conditions, the weather improved in time for Kasia Niewiadoma to record an incredible victory over Vollering and the rest. With Anna van der Breggen – winner of seven consecutive editions and undisputed queen of this race – back out of the team car and on the bike, however, Team SD Worx-ProTime will like their chances, particularly at this race. Given her form thus far, they may in fact feel quietly confident that the former world champion will return to her favourite stomping ground and ride for win number eight – but with Vollering and last year’s winner Niewiadoma among the riders she will have to beat, it won’t be easy.
Though of course there is plenty that can go wrong prior to the final climbing test of the day, it could be argued that La Fleche Wallonne is the most honest test of pure grit and uphill strength, as there is little in the way of tactics or strategy that can help you on the Mur de Huy. It’s ultimately down to who has the best legs on the day, and as always, it will be last woman standing, in the fight for victory. It’s very hard to look part those three riders to find another winner though, although given her spring form, it would be unwise to rule out Pauline Ferrand-Prévot for any race at all – it’s a race she’s familiar with, and she won the 2014 edition – her teammate Marianne Vos has also won multiple editions. Visma-Lease A Bike will hope once again to upset Team SD Worx and impose themselves on a race their principles are confident with.
Prediction: for me, van der Breggen's time will come at the race she knows better than any other how to win.
5: Anna van der Breggen
4: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
3: Demi Vollering
2: Kasia Niewiadoma
1: Elisa Longo Borghini
Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes (27 April)
The Ardennes Classics finale is known as ‘the old lady’, though both the race’s nickname, and the name of the race itself, are misnomers, when it comes to the women’s peloton. The women’s iteration of the race is actually the youngest of the Ardennes classics, little sister to the slightly older Amstel Gold Race (10 editions) and the far more established La Flèche Wallonne Féminine (27 editions). And of course, while the men travel a circular route that begins and ends in Liège, the women’s race actually begins in Bastogne.
There’s a succession of climbs for the riders to take on and there will be ample opportunity to strike out for glory for anyone who wants to take the race on from the front, and though we usually see a very small selection, the race could as likely come down to a long-range solo breakaway as it could to a reduced bunch sprint.
Contenders – the most open race?
While Vollering and van der Breggen have won two editions of the race each in its short history, last year’s edition, won by Grace Brown of FDJ SUEZ, showcased just how open and unpredictable this particular race is for the women’s peloton. It was a thrilling edition that kept us all guessing right up until the finish line, and defined why this is one of the most unmissable races on the women’s calendar right now.
To add to the contenders noted from the previous races, Kim Le Court will be one to watch, as she is in every race, and she will be supported by Ashleigh Moolman Pasio who has shown well in this race in the past. Demi Vollering will want to finish the block on a high and make up for her disappointment in 2024, when she suffered once again from a lack of support from her teammates, and Elisa Longo Borghini, coming back from injury, will likely have ridden herself back into form by the time the curtain closer rolls around. Marlen Reusser (Movistar) will also enjoy the opportunity to take her own chances at this race - a long-range solo specialist, she's the kind of rider who could get away and make it stick.
Prediction: another close contest, but I reckon the Italian champion Longo Borghini will come good in time to take this one from a late solo move.
5: Elisa Longo Borghini
4: Demi Vollering, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
3: Marlen Reusser
2: Kim Le Court
1: Kristen Faulkner
All images: Wikimedia Commons
Member discussion