Nestled between the rough-hewn roads of Flanders and the steeper terrain of the Ardennes, De Brabantse Pijl Women occupies a unique space in the spring calendar. While not part of the official Ardennes Classics, it often acts as the gateway—where pure classics riders begin to fade from contention and the climbers and puncheurs step into focus.
The route is built around attritional circuits centred on Overijse, with repeated climbs that sap the legs and encourage attacking racing. Among the most iconic is the Moskesstraat, a narrow, steep lane that rose to prominence during the 2021 World Championships in Flanders. Previously a brutal cobbled ramp that regularly forced riders off their bikes, it was resurfaced ahead of the Worlds but retains its sharp gradient and strategic importance. Alongside it, the Holstheide and Hagaard feature prominently, shaping the late-race dynamics year after year.
De Brabantse Pijl’s character is shaped by its repetition—laps that layer fatigue and force selections not necessarily through one explosive moment but through cumulative effort. It has consistently produced selective racing, with reduced groups fighting for victory in the final kilometres.
Photo Credit: Luc Claessen/Getty ImagesIn 2023, Silvia Persico sprinted to victory from a small lead group, holding off Demi Vollering and Liane Lippert after a late move stuck. The following year, Vollering once again found herself second, this time behind Elisa Longo Borghini, who launched a decisive attack on the Holstheide and rode clear for a solo win. Vollering’s back-to-back runner-up finishes show how even the strongest riders find it tough to take victory here, despite being the standout rider of the Ardennes period in recent years. She won’t be racing here in 2025, however.
The race remains a crucial marker for form heading into the triptych of Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. For some, it is a final tune-up; for others, an early chance to shape the Ardennes narrative.
Previous Winners
2024
Elisa Longo Borghini
2023
Silvia Persico
2022
Demi Vollering
2025 Brabantse Pijl Women Race Profile
Live TV Coverage
Friday 18th April 2025
Live on Discovery+/Max/TNT Sports Online across most of Europe
Also available on Pickx non-geoblocked
Live from 11:30-14:15
All times in BST
Twitter: #DBP25 or #DBPwomen
Startlist: FirstCycling
Brabantse Pijl Women 2025 Contenders
Returning to a race she has previously won, Silvia Persico will be hoping to repeat her 2023 success at Brabantse Pijl. That year she delivered a clinical sprint from a reduced front group, having positioned herself perfectly on the final climb into Overijse. UAE Team ADQ skipped this race in 2024, but Persico’s style still suits the terrain: short climbs, repeated efforts, and a finale that typically favours riders who can do both damage and survive it. Karlijn Swinkels adds depth to the team’s line-up, although her best finish here was 17th back in 2020. She’s strong enough to be a threat in her own right, especially with a fast kick, but will probably support Persico’s bid for a 2nd win at Brabantse Pijl. Karlijn Swinkels is out but Elisa Longo Borghini is back in. The Italian suffered a concussion at the Tour of Flanders but has been rushed back with her symptoms showing as ok in training. The team talks this up as a ‘we’ll see how it goes’ race for her, with them keen to test things out before the main Ardennes Classics.
SD Worx enter with a well-rounded trio that can challenge across different race scenarios. Femke Gerritse was 4th last year, one of her most impressive one-day results before 2025, and she’s built well into the spring with victories at Volta NXT Classic and Omloop van het Hageland this year. If the race is aggressive on the final lap and a small group goes clear, Gerritse has both the legs and race sense to be in it. Mischa Bredewold, who finished 10th in 2023 and 14th the year before, is also well suited to this terrain. She’s had a slightly quieter Classics campaign this year riding in support of leaders but remains a reliable threat if the race becomes unpredictable late on. Then there’s Anna van der Breggen, returning to racing after several seasons in the team car. She was 17th in her only Brabantse Pijl appearance back in 2016. She’s been super strong and could mirror what Ferrand-Prévot did at the weekend with her own comeback win in the Ardennes classics.
Everything at Team Visma | Lease a Bike will revolve around Marianne Vos. A former winner here in 2016, she also finished 3rd in 2018 and 12th in 2019, though she hasn’t raced Brabantse Pijl since then. Her spring form has included podiums at Sanremo Women, 4th at the weekend at Paris Roubaix and a strong ride at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, so there’s no doubt she’s capable of winning again if she’s still there for the final sprint. The team around her is light on Brabantse Pijl experience. Maud Oudeman didn’t finish last year’s edition, Eva van Agt was 69th in 2023, and Rosita Reijnhout will make her debut. Each will likely be focused on keeping Vos in position for as long as possible.
There’s reason to believe that Elise Chabbey could feature prominently once again. 4th here in 2023 and coming off a gutsy 7th at the Tour of Flanders despite crashing, the FDJ-Suez rider is likely to test her legs here before shifting focus fully to the Ardennes. 7th again at Paris Roubaix shows she has decent form at the moment. Teammate Amber Kraak, who was 6th last year, offers a similarly versatile profile—comfortable across rolling courses, active in the break, and capable of hanging tough when the pace lifts. Evita Muzic rounds out the team’s options. She was 11th here in 2023 and could find herself in a good position later on if the big names watch each other. Her weaker sprint may count against her though, and she’s more likely to be building up to other Ardennes targets.
Fenix–Deceuninck have two proven riders for this parcours. Pauliena Rooijakkers has twice finished inside the top 10 here—6th in 2022 and 10th in 2021—and while she was further back in 2024, her ability to respond on short climbs makes her a natural fit but the final sprint less so. Yara Kastelijn is another to keep an eye on. She was 9th last year and 17th the year before and has quietly had a strong spring with consistent performances across the cobbled and hilly classics. Her attacking style and punchy acceleration suit the repeated efforts over the Alsemberg circuit, and she’s always one to watch if the race starts to break up before the final lap.
Rather than an outright favourite, Lidl–Trek arrive with a collection of solid top-20 contenders. Niamh Fisher-Black was 18th here in 2022 and looked decent at Strade Bianche on her way to 8th in Siena. The issue here is that maybe the climbs are too short and will be used to warm-up for other races coming up. Anna Henderson brings experience and consistency, having finished 13th in 2023 and 14th back in 2019. She was one of the team’s most visible riders at Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders, always near the front in the closing stages. Gaia Realini, while not perfectly suited to this kind of course, has still placed in the top 30 the past two years and may benefit if the climbs are ridden hard enough to drop the faster finishers. Ultimately though, her ceiling is limited.
Making her debut at Brabantse Pijl, Maike van der Duin offers an interesting wildcard for Canyon SRAM zondacrypto. She can survive some of the climbs and sprint well at the end provided she’s still there. Van der Duin has placed well at both Nokere Koerse and Omloop van het Hageland this year. If she survives the climbs, she could be one of the fastest riders left. Meanwhile, Tiffany Cromwell has a longer history with this race, having been 6th back in 2017. She was also 17th last year and tends to perform well in aggressive, fragmented races. If the front group is small and the big names are watching each other, Cromwell could sneak into the top 15 again if she’s given the freedom.
Letizia Paternoster will make her debut here and is likely the team’s fastest finisher. While her strength lies in flatter finishes, she’s been solid this spring in harder finales too and could feature if the group isn’t thinned out too dramatically. 14th at Flanders recently followed on from good results at Trofeo Alfredo Binda (5th) and Le Samyn des Dames (9th). Caroline Andersson had one of her strongest rides of 2024 at this race, finishing 12th, and started the spring well before taking a break from racing in mid-March. If she returns sharp, she’s a useful card to play—especially if the pace eases slightly between efforts. Ruby Roseman-Gannon was 15th here in 2023 and has shown she can manage short climbs well. Her form this spring has been a lot quieter, but she’s a steady option if things stay together longer than expected. The wild card could be Monica Trinca Colonel. Although she’s never raced Brabantse Pijl before, her 8th at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and 11th at Strade Bianche show she can handle selective races. If the group splits over the final climbs, she’s more than capable of being there.
Uno-X Mobility’s best hope looks to be Ingvild Gåskjenn, who was 15th last year but hasn’t been seen too often this Spring. 20th at Omloop het Nieuwsblad had been her best, and she’s not raced since a 58th at Sanremo Women. She’ll be working to build up and replicate her Amstel Gold Race podium from last year and can use her timing and strength to move up the standings. Susanne Andersen has finished this race in the 30s multiple times, most recently 39th in 2024, and while she could be a contender, she will likely be tasked with helping Gåskjenn stay well-placed. The status of Marte Edseth Berg remains uncertain after her crash at Paris Roubaix Femmes – if she starts, it’ll be more about completing the race than contending for the win. However, it was likely she’d broken her collarbone early on in that race.
Alex Manly has been right at home here. 3rd last year and 10th in 2022, the AG Insurance-Soudal rider is one of those sprinters who does well after a tough race. Her recent results haven’t been strong though, with 40th at Gent-Wevelgem her best since the Australian races. She The team also has Lore de Schepper, who while less established, has been active throughout the spring. Her 31st last year doesn’t stand out on paper, but she has shown hints of progress in support roles.
There’s a question mark over Cat Ferguson after her heavy fall at Paris-Roubaix Femmes caused by a roadside spectator, but if she lines up, Movistar will be curious to see how she handles this type of course. She’s never raced here before but has already delivered big rides in tough races this spring—most notably 3rd at Trofeo Alfredo Binda. Jelena Eric offers the more experienced hand. Though she’s never cracked the top-15 here—her best result was 18th back in 2019—her ride at Paris Roubaix Femmes at the weekend, finishing 11th and part of the front elite group, was her most eye-catching performance in some time. That might give her the confidence to push deeper into the finale here than she has in previous editions.
There’s genuine top-10 potential for VolkerWessels with Margot Vanpachtenbeke, who has quietly built a strong record at Brabantse Pijl. She was 7th in 2023 and backed that up with 10th in 2024—evidence that her style matches this circuit perfectly. She isn’t a punchy climber in the classic sense but handles the race’s rhythm well and finishes strong. Anne Knijnenburg, 71st last year, is still developing at this level and will likely be on duty to support Vanpachtenbeke throughout the middle phase of the race.
EF Education-Oatly are expected to ride in support of Kristen Faulkner, though it’s hard to know what form she brings after only one race this season—a 50th place at Sanremo Women. In previous editions, she’s placed 11th in 2020 and 19th in 2023, so she knows the race and what it takes to perform well. The question is whether she’s sharp enough to contest the final after such a limited race programme so far in 2025. Alison Jackson, by contrast, comes in on the back of another standout ride at Paris Roubaix Femmes, where she finished 5th. Her results here have been nothing more than solid—21st in 2016 her best—but her current form, plus her ability to read unpredictable races, makes her more than just a support rider. If it comes back for a sprint, she could easily be the team’s best option.
Cofidis have a good reason to aim high here, with Julie Bego coming off an 11th place finish in last year’s edition. That result was one of her best in a one-day race and reflects her growing confidence on lumpy terrain. She’s had a quiet Classics campaign, racing sparingly through the spring without headline-grabbing results, and Brabantse Pijl could be her best shot at a top finish in this block. Whether or not Victoire Berteau races will shape the team’s ambitions. After crashing at Dwars door Vlaanderen, she skipped both Flanders and Paris Roubaix Femmes. If she does return here, she may be riding for Bego rather than herself, though her 8th in the 2023 edition proves she knows how to survive and sprint from a reduced bunch on this course.
Brabantse Pijl Women 2025 Outsiders
Among the outsiders, Karolina Perekitko looks like one of the more promising options. Riding for Winspace Orange Seal, she was 3rd at the Région Pays de la Loire Tour in recent weeks—a result that suggests she’s building toward her best level. She DNFed her only previous appearance here back in 2019, but with a deeper race calendar now and more consistent results, she’s worth watching if she’s allowed some freedom.
Results haven’t come easily for Team Picnic–PostNL at Brabantse Pijl. Josie Nelson finished 77th last year and hasn’t had a standout result this spring, while Francesca Barale was 49th here in 2024 and has played more of a support role so far this season. The team may ride opportunistically and look to get up the road, but neither rider starts among the top favourites.
BePink–Imatra–Bongioanni’s Meike Uiterwijk Winkel has had a breakthrough spring, finishing 2nd at the Volta NXT Classic. While she hasn’t raced Brabantse Pijl before, her recent results show she’s climbing well and capable of following tough moves. This isn’t the flattest of courses, but it’s also not too selective—perfect for a rider like her to hang on and sprint from a reduced group.
Romina Hinojosa of Lotto Ladies will make her debut here but has made a solid start to her first season on the team. 25th at Le Samyn des Dames and 31st at Dwars door Vlaanderen are hints at the quality we saw from the Mexican at least year’s Tour de l’Avenir. Now that we’re onto the hillier races, we might see her start to move up the results sheet.
Finally, India Grangier of Team Coop–Repsol finished 24th here in 2024, and she’s had a handful of solid rides this spring across races like the Clasica de Almeria and VUelta Exxtremadura Féminas since the European season started. She’s unlikely to be in the decisive move, but if the pace backs off on the final lap, she’s shown she can come through for a strong finish in the second group.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Marianne Vos
⦿ Silvia Persico
⦿ Anna van der Breggen
