After a set of second places throughout the last few months, Annemiek van Vleuten returned to her winning ways today at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes as she dropped everyone in the race's key descents and took an impressive solo win for Movistar Team.
With 142 kilometers on the menu, it was a race of two halves as the first one saw constant attacks in the peloton as the riders seeked to form a breakaway. A very strong group ended up going up the road with around 60 kilometers to go including Marlen Reusser, Sara Martín, Soraya Paladin, Leah Thomas, Évita Muzic, Amanda Spratt, Leah Kirchmann and Clara Honsinger. It was a threatening group specially with some of the main teams involved, leading UAE Team ADQ to neutralize the gap, which was later closed in the final ascents.
At the Côte de la Redoute SD Worx - despite having Reusser in front - worked to attack the race, instead being attacked by van Vleuten who joined up with the Swisse powerhouse after the ascent. With no collaboration though, the reduced group behind managed to close the gap.
Grace Brown attacked between the ascents then with 23 kilometers to go. Annemiek van Vleuten took no time to attack at the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons, accelerating right from the base of the ascent and slowly dropping everyone off her wheel, including Brown who had been caught in the meantime.
The Dutch veteran built a gap of around 15 seconds, and managed to extend it in the following kilometers despite the best efforts of Marta Cavalli and Grace Brown (FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope), Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo), Demi Vollering and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (Team SD Worx).
She arrived at the finish comfortably, whilst Grace Brown and Demi Vollering completed the podium in the sprint behind.
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