CYCLING: Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes 1.WWT 2025 (BEL)

Belgium 27 Apr 2025 Class 1.WWT – 1 day – UCI Women’s WorldTour

Website https://www.liege-bastogne-liege-femmes.be/en/ and https://www.instagram.com/classiquesardennes/

Email fernandlambertrlvb@hotmail.com

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes! While La Doyenne for men boasts a history stretching back to 1892, the women’s edition is a more recent, but equally exciting, addition to the cycling calendar.

The Beginning

The first edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes was held in 2017. This marked a significant step in recognizing and showcasing the talent and strength of women in professional cycling, especially in the prestigious Ardennes Classics.

• The inaugural race took place on April 23, 2017.
• Anna van der Breggen of the Netherlands etched her name in history as the first winner.

The introduction of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes meant that the women’s calendar now mirrored the men’s with their own versions of the three Ardennes Classics: Flèche Wallonne Féminine (which had been established earlier), Amstel Gold Race Ladies Edition (rebooted in 2017), and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes.

Growth and Development

• From its inception, Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes has been part of the UCI Women’s World Tour, underscoring its importance in the top tier of women’s cycling.
• The race is organized by Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), the same organizers as the men’s event and the Tour de France, ensuring a high level of professionalism and organization.
• The early years saw Dutch dominance, with Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten each winning twice in the initial editions.

The Route and Characteristics

• The Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes route typically covers a challenging parcours in the Ardennes, often starting in Bastogne and finishing in Liège, similar to the men’s race, but over a shorter distance. Since 2019, the finish has been on the Quai des Ardennes in Liège.
• The race features a series of demanding climbs that test the riders’ endurance and climbing abilities. While the specific climbs and their order may vary slightly from year to year, iconic ascents like the Côte de la Redoute and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons often feature and play a crucial role in the finale.
• The total distance has varied, but it generally falls in the range of around 130 to 150 kilometers, packed with challenging terrain. For the 2025 edition, the distance was 152.9 kilometers and included ten categorized climbs.

Noteworthy Moments

The short history of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes has already produced memorable moments:

• Anna van der Breggen’s two victories (2017, 2018) established her as an early icon of the race.
• Lizzie Deignan’s solo victory in 2020 showcased strength and tactical brilliance.
• Demi Vollering has also secured two victories (2021, 2023), highlighting the continued Dutch prowess in this event.
• In 2024, Australia’s Grace Brown broke the Dutch stronghold with a powerful sprint victory.
• The 2025 edition saw a surprise victory by Kimberley Le Court of Mauritius, the first African rider to win a Monument.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes has quickly become a prestigious and highly anticipated race on the women’s cycling calendar, offering a challenging and beautiful spectacle that complements the legendary men’s event. It continues to build its own rich history with each passing year.

Data powered by FirstCycling.com

Nina Berton – EF Education-Oatly, Luxembourg, 23 years 

https://www.instagram.com/ninaberton9

Results powered by FirstCycling.com