5★
La Flèche Wallonne (Women)
The 29th edition of La Flèche Wallonne Féminine covers 148.2km with a summit finish atop the iconic Mur de Huy (1.3km at 9.6% average, peaking near 20%). The race starts from the Grand Place in Huy and opens with the Bohissau, Courrière, and Durnal climbs before reaching the 37.2km finishing circuit. Riders complete two laps of the final loop, which includes Côte d'Ereffe (2.1km at 5%) and Côte de Cherave (1.3km at 8.1%) before each Mur de Huy ascent. The race finishes atop the third Mur - the decisive 'slow-motion sprint' up the 20% slopes typically crowns a puncheur with strong short-effort power.
Where to watch
⚠️ Spoiler warning: live streams and broadcaster home pages may show current standings. Disable autoplay & avoid sidebar recommendations on YouTube.
La Flèche Wallonne (Women)
Where the race is made
Who to watch
Narratives to watch
- Vollering vs Pieterse on the Mur — a high-anticipation duel and the headline storyline
- FDJ-SUEZ trying to extend its dominance of the spring after Vollering's Amstel campaign
- SD Worx-Protime and Visma duos look to outnumber FDJ on the Mur run-in
- Mur de Huy notoriously punishes early attackers — tactical patience until the final ramp is the standard playbook
Form book & lore
First held in 1998, La Flèche Wallonne Féminine shares the finish-line Mur de Huy summit with the men's race, making it one of cycling's most iconic women's one-dayers. The race has been dominated by specialists - Marianne Vos (four-time winner in the early years), Evelyn Stevens, Anna van der Breggen (seven consecutive or near-consecutive wins), and more recently Demi Vollering and Kasia Niewiadoma. As part of the Ardennes triptych, it offers the mid-week test between Amstel Gold (Sunday) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes (the following Sunday).
When to tune in
Tune in for the final 45-60 minutes - the first Mur de Huy at 37km to go sets the tactical tone, but the race is almost always decided on the final Mur. The second Cherave at 5.7km to go is where the winning move typically begins. The final 1.3km up the Mur is destination TV: watch for the timing of the decisive kick, usually in the last 200m. Spoiler caution: the Mur summit finish is heavily covered in highlights - disable YouTube autoplay and avoid sidebar recommendations.