La Fleche Wallonne 2023: Demi Vollering stars on Mur de Huy to win as Lizzie Deignan returns from childbirth
By Ben Snowball
Published 19/04/2023 at 12:45 GMT+1
SD Worx star Demi Vollering backed up her win at Amstel Gold with another brilliant victory at La Fleche Wallonne. With Anna van der Breggen aka ‘Queen of the Mur’ in the SD Worx team car, Vollering had the ultimate advisor as she added to her growing palmarès. Van der Breggen won seven straight editions of the Ardennes classic between 2015 and 2021.
'Incredible performance' – Vollering dominates on Mur de Huy to win La Fleche Wallonne
Video credit: TNT Sports
Demi Vollering (SD Worx) starred on the Mur de Huy to take victory at La Fleche Wallonne and keep her bid for the Ardennes treble on track.
Vollering attacked from the base of the final climb and held off the impressive Liane Lippert (Movistar) to win by five seconds. Trek-Segafredo were rewarded for animating much of the day with the final spot on the podium for Gaia Realini.
It was the Dutchwoman’s fourth win of the year following successes at Strade Bianche, Dwars door Vlaanderen and Amstel Gold.
After the breakaway was swallowed up with 44km remaining, the race was lit up on the second ascent of the Mur as Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) went on the attack.
The Dutchwoman dragged Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM Racing) and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step) along, prompting a hasty chase from Vollering and SD Worx.
After the front group came back together and a couple of moves were snuffed out, Amanda Spratt (Trek-Segafredo) managed to get a gap and disappear down the road. With the Australian chasing an unlikely solo win, Trek-Segafredo – who welcomed Lizzie Deignan back to the team after giving birth – allowed their rivals to chase as they protected Elisa Longo Borghini for the finale.
Spratt was caught on the penultimate climb with 7km remaining – moments after a big crash in the middle of the peloton that wiped out a number of riders, including Danish champion Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ-Suez) – with Vollering quickly upping the tempo.
But although only 11 riders could follow Vollering’s surge, including Van Vleuten and Niewiadoma, a chase group soon latched back on as the pace at the front slowed.
It meant the race came down to the final ascent of the Mur, with Vollering launching on the kinder gradients towards the bottom. As the ramp increased to 20%, it appeared she may have shot off too early as Lippert closed, but the 26-year-old maintained her rhythm and soon opened up another gap before holding on for the win.
“Before the last climb I tried to split the group. And the last climb I thought I would do my own pace – I couldn’t believe the gap,” an emotional Vollering, who will head to Liege-Bastogne-Liege chasing an Ardennes sweep, said.
“I only saw it very late and the gap was pretty big, I was really surprised by that. I’m really happy.”
Britain's Deignan finished 88th on her return.
The 34-year-old, who gave birth for the second time to son Shea in September, had originally pencilled next month’s Vuelta Femenina for her return – but injury and illness in the Trek camp saw her parachuted into the team for the Ardennes classic. She will also race at Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday.
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