Vos grabs fifth Flèche Wallonne win, Longo Borghini and Moolman can’t deny her victory

Aggressive race concludes with three riders fighting it out on the Mur de Huy
World champion Marianne Vos scooped a record fifth win in the women’s Flèche Wallonne today, blasting in ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (Hitec Products UCK) and Ashleigh Moolman (Lotto Belisol Ladies) at the top of the Mur de Huy.

Anna Van Der Breggen (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team) and Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) were the next-nearest challengers, finishing six seconds back.

After winning in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2001, Vos (Rabobank Liv Giant) had finished a disappointed second to American Evelyn Stevens (Specialized lululemon) last year. Stevens missed today’s race due to a recent crash, making Vos’ task a little more straightforward. Still, she has been in dominant form this year and would have fancied her chances anyway.

“Every win is special, but for a fifth time to win here on the Mur is really great,” she said. “It’s not getting any easier every year because as a big favourite, everybody looks at me and the team has to do a big job to stay in control of the race. They did perfectly and I ended up in Huy, of course tired, but still fresh enough to make a sprint effort on the Mur.”

Early on, 124 riders started what was the sixteenth edition of the race. Over the two lap race they would complete twelve climbs in all, including two ascents of the wall-like Mur de Huy.

There were a number of attacks in the first hour of racing but despite the inclusion of the Côte d’Ereffe (km 18.5), the Côte de Peu d’Eau (km 37) and the Côte de Bellaire (km 42.5), nothing got clear until the next ascent, the Côte de Bohisseau (km 49.5).

There eight riders broke the elastic, with the Australian Carlee Taylor (Lotto Belisol Ladies) bringing them over the top of the climb. She was joined by Shara Gillow (Orica-AIS), Katie Colclough (Specialized lululemon), Lucinda Brand (Rabobank Liv/Giant), Noemi Cantele (BePink), Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Faren-Let’s Go Finland Team) and Tatiana Antoshina (MCipollini Giordana).

They rode hard to try to stay clear but were hauled back by the others at the start of the first ascent of the Mur de Huy, 63 kilometres into the race.

Once on the climb, seven of the strongest riders in the race pushed ahead, with Vos, Longo Borghini, Emma Johansson, Ellen Van Dijk (Specialized lululemon) and Ashleigh Moolman (Lotto Belisol) amongst those present.

Also there was the Belarusian Alena Amialiusik (BePink), who attacked and pushed onwards while the rest of the break eased back and returned to the peloton. Amialiusik pressed onwards for approximately thirty kilometres, but was finally reeled in prior to the start of the Côte de Peu d’Eau, 101 kilometres after the start.

Tiffany Cromwell (Orica AIS) took the prime there ahead of Longo Borghini. The peloton remained more or less together over the next fifteen kilometres but once over the top of the Côte de Bohisseau (km 116), with fifteen kilometres remaining, Tatiana Guderzo (MCipollini Giordana) clipped away and tried to pull off a solo victory.

She was however caught prior to the final climb, being absorbed three kilometres from the finish. Vos, Longo Borghini and Moolman were strongest of the peloton on the final ascent of the Mur de Huy, opening daylight over the other riders and disputing the victory between them.

Vos was strongest at the summit, thus reinforcing her superb palmares plus her lead in the women’s World Cup.

Flèche Wallonne Féminine, Belgium (World Cup)

Aizhan Zhaparova (RusVelo)
Annelies Dom (Cyclelive Plus-Zannata)
Birgit Lavrijssen (Sengers Ladies Cycling Team)
Carla Ryan (Cyclelive Plus-Zannata)
Charlene Delev (GSD Gestion-Kallisto)
Chloe Hosking (Hitec Products UCK)
Daisy Depoorter (Cyclelive Plus-Zannata)
Danielle King (Wiggle Honda)
Elke Gebhardt (Argos-Shimano)
Elodie Hegoburu (France)
Els Belmans (Topsport Vlaaderen-Bioracer)
Emilia Fahlin (Hitec Products UCK)
Emily Collins (Wiggle Honda)
Emily Kachorek (US National Team)
Emma Trott (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
Esra Tromp (Argos-Shimano)
Giada Borgato (Pasta Zara-Cogeas)
Gilke Croket (Topsport Vlaaderen-Bioracer)
Janine Van Der Meer (Team Polaris)
Jessica Cutler (US National Team)
Jutta Nieminen (Faren-Let’s Go Finland Team)
Kelly Markus (Argos-Shimano)
Kendall Ryan (US National Team)
Latoya Brulee (Cyclelive Plus-Zannata)
Lilibeth Chacon (Bizkaia-Durango)
Lucie Pader (France)
Lucy Garner (Argos-Shimano)
Ludivine Loze (France)
Malgorzta Jasinska (MCipollini Giordana)
Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Faren-Let’s Go Finland Team)
Marieke Van Wanroij (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
Marion Rousse (Lotto Belisol Ladies)
Martina Ruzickova (Pasta Zara-Cogeas)
Martine Bras (Boels Dolmans Cycling Team)
Mayalen Noriega (Bizkaia-Durango)
Mayra Del Rocio Rocha (GSD Gestion-Kallisto)
Mayuko Hagiwara (Wiggle Honda)
Mieke Kröger (Team Polaris)
Monique Van De Ree (Cyclelive Plus-Zannata)
Rossella Callovi (Pasta Zara-Cogeas)
Ruth Winder (US National Team)
Sarah-Lena Hofmann (Team Polaris)
Silvia Valsecchi (BePink)
Silvija Latozaite (Pasta Zara-Cogeas)
Simona Frapporti (BePink)
Stephanie Roorda (GSD Gestion-Kallisto)
Tayler Wiles (Specialized-lululemon)
Willeke Knol (Argos-Shimano)