“I really gave everything" - Annemiek van Vleuten suffers more disappointment in her final year as a pro at La Fleche Wallone

As the farewell tour of Annemiek van Vleuten continues, the 40-year-old Dutchwoman is still searching for her first win of the year after more disappointment at La Fleche Wallone Feminine saw her finish seventh.

“We had agreed as a team to compete on the second time Muur van Huy. My finish line would actually be here, at the second time the Wall," recalls van Vleuten who rode clear for a short while in a group containing Elisa Longo Borghini, Ashleigh Moolman and Katarzyna Niewiadoma. “I really gave everything there, really everything. It was a good move, because SD Worx was not immediately on board."

Sadly for van Vleuten and the Movistar Team, they were soon brought back as the race reached the final ascent of the Mur de Huy it was Team SD Worx's Demi Vollering who took the victory. "I think the final and the finish of the Walloon Arrow are really beautiful, but the course could look a bit nicer. I thought: The Wall is so steep. When I suffer, everyone else does. We then rode full gas on the flat.”

“On the Côte de Cherave I felt that Demi rode easily, so it is a well-deserved winner," she continues before casting an eye towards Liege-Bastogne-Liege. “Last year I rode for the podium every time, now I'm really behind it. It's disappointing though. I don't know what it is. I did everything for it. Of course, the competition is also getting better every year. Does this make me insecure for Liège-Bastogne-Liège? Of course it doesn't inspire confidence."