Mavi García gives hope for Spanish cycling as she rides into fourth at Flèche Wallone Féminine

Spanish women's cycling has come close to a historic triumph today in the Women's Flèche Wallonne. Mavi García has shown a great level in the Belgian classic in what has been her best performance so far this season with her new colors of Liv Racing TeqFind.

At the key moment of the race, on the climb before the Mur de Huy with Demi Vollering already pulling ahead, Mavi was always very well placed in the lead. She arrived very comfortably on the slopes of the final climb and within contention for the win.

Vollering attacked away with Niewiadoma at the start of the final climb, although the Polish rider soon showed signs of not being able to keep up with the Dutch rider's pace. Everything pointed to a crushing victory for the SD Worx rider, but then Liane Lippert and Mavi Garcia jumped to get closer and demanded one more point.

In the final meters, the Palma rider cracked and was overtaken just before the finish line by Italy's Gaia Realini. She fell just short of the podium, but better to be fourth trying to win than third with no chance of doing so.