European champion Anna van der Breggen (Boels–Dolmans) took her third victory of the week yesterday when she won the inaugural edition of Liège–Bastogne–Liège Femmes. After claiming the Amstel Gold Race last Sunday and La Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday, the Dutch champion made history by becoming the first woman to complete the legendary Ardennes treble.
The 135.5 kilometre course featured four climbs: Côte de la Vecquée (km 82.5 – 6.7 km at 4.9%), the legendary Côte de la Redoute (km 100 – 2 km at 8.9%), Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (km 116 – 1.3 km at 11%) and Côte de Saint-Nicolas (km 130 – 1.2 km at 8.6%), which came just 10 kilometres before the finish.
The race came to life first on the early slopes of Côte de la Vecquée and then the Côte de la Redoute as the Boels-Dolmans Cycling Team worked to reduce the size of the peloton to just 40 riders.
In the end, Lizzie Deignan, Anna van der Breggen, Elisa Longo Borghini, Ashleigh Moolman and Katarzyna Niewiadoma came to the fore on the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons and increased their lead on the final climb, the Côte de Saint Nicolas.
Anna van der Breggen decided to move in for the kill with 5 kilometres to go and pulled clear to beat Deignan by 17 seconds in the streets of Ans. 22-year-old Polish champion Katarzyna Niewiadoma took third place.
