Anna van der Breggen retired on the finish of final season following an illustrious profession that, amongst many prestigious outcomes, included a document seven consecutive victories at La Flèche Wallonne Féminine. The biking world awaits as, for the primary time seven editions, a brand new rider will energy to the victory and topped Queen of the Mur de Huy.
Anna van der Breggen warned final yr that the Mur de Huy “by no means lies”, and can at all times present one’s strengths and weaknesses. The Dutch rider appeared to have a particular finesse on its steep and punishing slopes, showing to know precisely tips on how to gauge her effort and the place to make her profitable strikes every year.
“The Mur de Huy is at all times laborious and you’ll solely experience the tempo which you can deal with. You at all times need to go full and to the max, so it’s at all times laborious,” stated van der Breggen in an interview with Cyclingnews forward of her seventh consecutive victory win 2021. At the moment, van der Breggen went on to elucidate the keys to success on the Mur de Huy – which have been much less concerning the technical and tactical elements of the climbing the ascent and extra to do with how effectively a rider is aware of ones limits.
“It’s all about figuring out your self and the way you’re feeling when deciding the place to assault or when you ought to await a dash. There isn’t a clear reply. Everyone seems to be completely different. You must know what’s greatest for your self. You must know the way excessive you may go in your tempo, to not blow up, however nonetheless have sufficient to dash or drop the others. The Mur de Huy asks for self data.”
The Mur de Huy x 3
The twenty fifth version of La Fèche Wallonne Féminine will provide the peloton a 133.4km route that features three ascents of the famed Mur de Huy this yr, introduced organizer ASO in January. The ascent varieties a part of the ultimate shorter native circuits in Huy.
The race will start in Huy and enterprise south-west for a roughly 70km giant loop, earlier than the primary of eight ascents held on the brief native circuits in Huy.
The climbing starting at Côte de Cherave (65.5km) adopted by the primary passage over the Mur de Huy (71.1km). The peloton will then twice sort out the trio of climbs; Côte d’Ereffe (83.8km / 114.9km), Côte de Cherave (96.5k / 127.7km) and the Mur de Huy (102.2km / 133.4km).
Gone are the Côte de Thon, Côte de Groynne, Côte de Haut-Bois, Côte de Provides and Côte du Chemin des Gueuses from final yr’s route.
The Mur de Huy is a brutally steep 1.3km ascent that begins with a run-in alongside the Avenue du Condroz earlier than reaching the primary right-hand bend at a ten per cent grade. The climbs steepens to 12 per cent, then 14 per cent, and after a tough left flip it hits its steepest part at 19 per cent with 400 metres to go.
The grade ever-so-slightly eases off to 13 per cent, after which 9 per cent within the ultimate 100 metres to the end line.
- Côte de Cherave (65.5km) – 1.3km at 8.1 per cent
- Mur de Huy (71.1km, 1st passage) – 1.3km at 9.5 per cent, with sections as steep as 19 per cent
- Côte d’Ereffe (83.8km) – 2.1km at 5 per cent
- Côte de Cherave (96.5km) – 1.3km at 8.1 per cent
- Mur de Huy (102.2km, 2nd passage) – 1.3km at 9.6 per cent, with sections as steep as 19 per cent
- Côte d’Ereffe (114.9km) – 2.1km at 5 per cent
- Côte de Cherave (127.7km) – 1.3km at 8.1 per cent
- Mur de Huy (133.4.2km, ultimate passage) – 1.3km at 9.5 per cent, with sections as steep as 19 per cent
La Flèche Wallonne Féminine – The favourites
The three Ardennes Classics are historically held throughout one week, nevertheless, this yr they’ve been unfold throughout two weeks as Amstel Gold Race and Paris-Roubaix have been compelled to swap dates.
Marta Cavalli (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine) celebrated the largest victory of her profession at Amstel Gold Race on April 10 whereas Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) celebrated an exciting victory within the velodrome at Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Sunday.
There are some riders among the many ladies’s peloton who will race all Ardennes Classics and Paris-Roubaix Femmes, whereas others have chosen to concentrate on one or the opposite.
SD Worx’s Lotte Kopecky and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak shaped a two-pronged assault on Paris-Roubaix. The staff may also area two potential winners, and former podium finishers, at La Flèche Wallonne with Demi Vollering and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, in hopes to proceed on van der Breggen’s run of success.
Trek-Segafredo’s Elisa Longo Borghini and Lucinda Model, who completed 1st and third at Paris-Roubaix, seem to even be competing at Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday. Longo Borghini has completed thrice on the rostrum and can undoubtedly need to enhance on that this yr.
Movistar line up with two potential winners with Annemiek van Vleuten, twice second on the Mur de Huy, and Sarah Gigante, each are highly effective climbers who might kind the profitable duo.
5-time winner Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) is presently not listed on the staff roster. Her season got here to an abrupt halt on the morning of Paris-Roubaix Femmes after she examined constructive for Covid-19.
FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope’s Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig was additionally compelled to take a break when she returned a constructive take a look at for Covid-19 forward of Amstel Gold Race. She is presently listed to compete in Huy, as is Cavalli and Evita Muzic.
One of many strongest on the beginning line shall be Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) who completed fourth at Strade Bianche, eighth at Tour of Flanders, fifth at Amstel Gold Race and second at Brabantse Pijl. She’s twice completed on the rostrum in Huy, and was second to van der Breggen final yr.
Van der Breggen stated the Mur de Huy has suited a number of several types of riders in it is 25-year historical past as a part of the ladies’s race, and that she is trying ahead to seeing who will change into the subsequent champion of La Flèche Wallonne Féminine.
“I feel that after me there shall be any individual else [winning] and earlier than me there was another person,” she advised Cyclingnews in a 2021 interview. “On this interval the Mur de Huy has suited a few riders greater than others. I’m curious, sooner or later, who would be the subsequent winner.”
La Flèche Wallonne Féminine – Groups
- Crew SD Worx
- Canyon-SRAM Racing
- Trek – Segafredo
- Movistar Crew
- UAE Crew ADQ
- Crew DSM
- FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
- Crew BikeExchange – Jayco
- Crew Jumbo-Visma
- EF Schooling-TIBCO-SVB
- Liv Racing Xstra
- Uno-X Professional Biking Crew
- Human Powered Well being
- Roland Cogeas Edelweiss Squad
- Valcar – Journey & Service
- Parkhotel Valkenburg
- Plantur-Pura
- Le Col – Wahoo
- Arkéa Professional Biking Crew
- Lotto Soudal Girls
- Cofidis Girls Crew
- Bingoal On line casino – Chevalmeire – Van Eyck Sport
- Bepink
- Andy Schleck – CP NVST – Immo Losch
