00:05The 10th edition of the women's Liège-Baston Liège promised to be just as exciting as the
00:11men's. Last year's winner, Kim Lecourt, wasn't racing, but Pauline Ferrand-Prévot was and
00:17looking to bring the great form Chichon and the Paris-Roubaix and La Fleche-Vallon in recent
00:20weeks. Lise-Melissa Bike Rider was certainly one of the favourites to win the race.
00:42After a great duel on the Murs de Huilly on Wednesday, Demi Follering and Puk Peters were
00:46again challengers. Midweek winner Follering was looking for her third victory in Liège,
00:51Peters her first. I really like Puk. We are good competitors together, but as soon as
00:58off the bike or even during the race we always joke a bit with each other. I think we have
01:01the same kind of humour. I always end up making jokes with her together and it's always a good
01:06time to fight together with her for the win because you also feel she's doing it in such
01:13a playful way. So I really enjoy her way of racing as well. I think it's also important
01:19to have respect for your rivals so to say. They are of course also your colleagues and what
01:27they do and how many races they win. It's impressive.
01:35The route is the longest and most challenging ever seen on the Liège-Baston-Liège for women.
01:40Ten tough climbs across 156 kilometres. Even after they reach the Côte de Vannes they'll
01:47still have another testing 90 kilometres to go. It was shaping up to be quite a race.
02:05It proved keenly contested from the start and continued as the field headed to the final
02:10three climbs of the day. Several teams were looking for the win, notably FDJ United Suez
02:16who had Elise Chabbi and Juliette Berti in the day's breakaway. The league group was reeled
02:21in though and the outcome of the race was very much in the balance as they rode towards the
02:25imposing Côte de la Redoute. With sections at a punishing 17% it quickly trimmed the fields.
02:32FDJ's Berti setting a high rhythm that only some 15 riders could live with.
02:43Demi Vollering is just starting to ride away. Look at this, Niwia Doma doesn't have any answer
02:48either and Demi Vollering is exploding the front group.
02:54Vollering absolutely motoring away from the field, leaving Ferrand Prevot and the other
02:59challengers trailing. Peters and Cassia Niwia Doma Fini were in a group of four, 10 seconds down
03:05and a bit further down the road, Chabbi was joined by world champion Magdalene Vallier-Mille.
03:11But already they had their work cut out to catch Vollering as Ferrand Prevot tried to work her
03:16way back into contention.
03:21Niw Fischerblank dropped out of the closest chasing group and then there were just three
03:25behind Vollering with Ferrand Prevot's group next.
03:31But Vollering kept the hammer down, the Dutch rider even pulling clear of her pursuers
03:36and leaving Ferrand Prevot's group more than a minute off the pace.
03:43Super motivated at the thought of winning the race for a third time, Vollering maintained her tempo.
03:49After defeating Elisa Longoborghini late on in 2023 and winning a small bunch sprint in 2021,
03:57Vollering this time went it alone from 34 kilometres out.
04:08Down the road on the Rochefaucon, European champion Anna van der Breggen was pushing to get back in touch
04:13with the chasing trio.
04:16Paolo Blasi was also in the picture, but van der Breggen stepped on the gas again
04:20as little Trek's Isabella Holmgren started to slow.
04:27No such struggles for Vollering, who with more than a minute in hand with 10 kilometres to go
04:32could relax a little on the Quai des Ardennes as she cruised to the line.
04:38A big deep breath now for the European champion as the crowd get ready to greet her into the finish
04:46line.
04:46Now she starts to smile and celebrate. The crowd greet the European champion,
04:53Demi Vollering of FDJ United-Suez to the finish here in Liège.
05:0135 kilometres solo. It's a Vollering victory in Liège. The hat-trick.
05:08The first woman to win three, Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
05:13Behind the winner, there was a three-way battle for two podium places.
05:19Cashier-Niwi-Odoma comes alongside. Puck-Pizza to the left-hand side.
05:24Van der Breggen doesn't have the legs that Cashier-Niwi-Odoma has.
05:29It's going to be Puck-Pizza takes second.
05:35It was the perfect week for Demi Vollering, who added the Liège-Bastogne-Liège to La Fleche-Vallon.
05:41She'd also won the Tour of Flanders and the Umloop-Nusblad.
05:44The 2023 Tour de France winner in a Ridge-Vader form as she claimed a tenth Classic win.
05:52I was already dreaming about it without knowing if there would ever be a women's race.
05:58But then finally we got one. I became a pro and I went for the third time here. It's incredible.
06:04I'm super proud.
06:09Women's sports deserve so much more.
06:12So a win for FDJ Suez and Vollering ahead of Puck-Pizza's just like they were on Wednesday, with Nia
06:19-Via-Domac completing the podium.
06:21Disappointment for Ferrand Prevost as she finished 22nd more than five minutes behind the winner.
06:26But a fantastic display of cycling from Vollering, whose place in the race's history has already assured she'll have a
06:33chance to reinforce it in 2027.
06:37The Finest has as well.
06:39The Finest has even been defeated.
06:40The Finest is a great deal.
06:43The Finest is a great deal.
06:46The Finest is a good deal.
