Liège-Bastogne-Liège "a really fine one to win" Annemiek van Vleuten says

After a spring without a win since Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the pressure was on Annemiek van Vleuten's shoulders to win one of the Ardennes classics. After her second place at Flèche Wallone there were question marks for today, but the Dutch veteran rode at her best level to take a meaningful win.

“It’s the best way to come home after the classics. It is also a special one to win with our team – I can really feel we’re on the way up, after how we started this season in Valencia, struggling with problems which are slowly but steadily going away. I’ve been in good shape all the time, but I’ve also found some of my best power outputs ever here. It’s so motivating to see these efforts rewarded, after it didn’t always pay off over this spring. Finishing the spring with this beautiful win, and seeing the team getting better every race, makes it so special," van Vleuten said after the race.

The Movistar Team rider found herself on the attack at the Côte de la Redoute, chasing back on the early breakaway that went up the road late in the day that was threatening: “I had chosen to go on the attack already on La Redoute, even with the headwind, because it offered two chances to me to really make the difference." Despite having been caught afterwards, the effect of the effort wasn't felt as she attacked once again in the Côte de la Roche aux Faucons and this time distancing her rivals definitively.

With this being the final race of her spring, it was a successful wrap up for van Vleuten, who concluded: “With the headwind also coming in after La Roche, and more than 10km left, being able to keep it up – I couldn’t believe it. It was nice to enjoy the final kilometer, to soak in the moment. It’s a really fine one to win.”