ANALYSIS | Who are the favourites for victory at the Women's Tour of Flanders?

The Women’s Tour of Flanders returns this Sunday with a star studded line up with many riders hoping this will be their year. With 163km of racing, 12 climbs, and many cobbled sections, the 2025 edition follows the classic pattern: a challenging run-in from Oudenaarde, with the decisive climbs of the Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg looming in the final 20km before the fast, flat finish.

The race is as unpredictable as ever, and should be one of the best races of the year. But who are the riders to watch?

Below, we break down the major contenders for one of the biggest prizes in women’s cycling.

In 2024, it was Elisa Longo Borghini who conquered Flanders with a victory, as she managed to defeat Niewiadoma in a sprint finish.

Shirin van Anrooij rounded out the podium in third, with Marianne Vos in fourth. There was drama further behind, as Lote Kopecky was caught up in a crash with over 140km remaining, and she could only manage to finish fifth.

Many of last year’s stars are back in action, so let’s take a closer look.

Elisa Longo Borghini is back to defend the title she won so emphatically in 2024. The Italian veteran, now 33, produced a brilliant ride last year to claim her second Tour of Flanders crown, a full nine years after her first win in 2015. Her victory in 2024 was a reminder of her immense experience in the hardest races, two qualities that will be critical once again this weekend.

She comes into the race in strong form after winning Dwars door Vlaanderen midweek, proving she has the legs for back-to-back efforts. Add to that her win at Paris-Roubaix in 2022, and it’s clear Longo Borghini thrives on the cobbles. Her tactical awareness, climbing strength, and ability to manage the chaos of the final 20km make her a serious threat for a third Flanders title.

Lotte Kopecky is the queen of Belgian cycling, and with two Tour of Flanders wins already on her palmarès (2022 and 2023), she’ll be the fan favourite this weekend. The 29-year-old two-time world champion is built for this race, but will have the weight of a nation behind her. She has the explosiveness for the climbs, the skill for the cobbles, and the sprint to finish it off if it comes down to a reduced group.

Though she didn’t win in 2024, Kopecky went on to claim victory at Paris-Roubaix just a week later, showing her ability to recover and learn. Her combination of power and race craft makes her arguably the most complete one-day racer in the peloton, even if she is targeting grand tour general classifications in 2025.

She’ll be incredibly motivated to reclaim her crown on home roads, especially with the Belgian crowd behind her. If she’s anywhere near the front after the Paterberg, expect fireworks.

There’s no denying it, Marianne Vos is the GOAT. With over 250 career wins, world titles on the road, cyclocross, and track, and a legendary status in the sport, Vos has done it all. But curiously, she’s only won the Tour of Flanders once, way back in 2013.

That doesn’t diminish her threat. Even at 37, Vos remains one of the savviest and most dangerous riders in the peloton, and only narrowly lost out at Milano-Sanremo last month. Though she might not be the out-and-out favourite this year, no one will be surprised if she adds a second Flanders title to her already historic résumé.

At just 22 years old, Puck Pieterse represents the new wave of Dutch cycling. Best known for her exploits off-road, Pieterse is the reigning mountain bike world champion and already a star across multiple disciplines. But she’s proving herself on the road too, and fast.

In 2024, she finished sixth at the Tour of Flanders, a result that turned heads. She followed that up with a strong ride at the Tour de France Femmes, where she won the young rider classification, and has already placed 10th at Milano-Sanremo this spring.

Flanders rewards aggression and strength, both of which Pieterse has in abundance. She’s an outside bet for victory, but her trajectory suggests she won’t be flying under the radar for long.

Katarzyna Niewiadoma has had a mixed start to 2025. She was dropped at Dwars door Vlaanderen this week and finished a lowly 37th, raising doubts about her form. But that doesn’t mean she won’t be in the mix on Sunday.

The Polish star was second at last year’s Tour of Flanders, delivering a defiant ride that only came up short behind Longo Borghini. Later in the season, she added the Tour de France Femmes title to her palmarès, finally cracking the code and defeat Demi Vollering. Niewiadoma is also a former gravel world champion and a master of rough, unpredictable terrain, which will play into her hands this weekend.

If she can find her rhythm on Sunday, she’ll be one of the most dangerous riders in the field. The key question is whether her midweek struggles were a blip, or a sign of trouble. But with her pedigree, climbing ability, and determination, she remains a podium threat.