Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes remains one of the newer monuments in women’s cycling, first introduced in 2017. Anna van der Breggen made history in those early editions, claiming back-to-back victories and pairing her Liège success with wins at Flèche Wallonne in the same week – a rare double previously achieved by only a handful of male riders across the Ardennes Classics. Since its inception, Dutch riders have dominated the honours list, with Van der Breggen, Annemiek van Vleuten, and Demi Vollering all securing memorable wins. Only Lizzie Deignan, with her solo attack in 2020, had disrupted the Dutch stronghold until Grace Brown last year.
The Aussie powered to victory at the 2024 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, outsprinting a select group of six riders who had broken clear on the decisive climbs. 2023 winner Demi Vollering was looking to go back-to-back but Brown timed her final burst perfectly in what would be her final season in the pro peloton.
Photo Credit: GettyIn recent years, the course has been refined to mirror the men’s version more closely. Changes like shifting the finish back to central Liège and removing the Côte de Saint-Nicolas have shifted the tactical balance. Now, the Roche-aux-Faucons climb stands out as the race’s defining feature. Its steep ramps and narrow roads create the perfect springboard for attacks, while the technical descent into Liège makes chasing back a near-impossible task once a gap has been opened.
That was evident in 2023, when Demi Vollering sealed her place in the record books. She attacked on the Roche-aux-Faucons and rode clear alongside Elisa Longo Borghini. Vollering then outsprinted her rival in the run-in to Liège to complete her Ardennes triple-winning Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes in the same season and became the first rider since Van der Breggen in 2017 to win Flèche Wallonne and Liège back-to-back. Puck Pieterse can try and do the same after her win at Flèche Wallonne this week.
Previous Winners
2024
Grace Brown
2023
Demi Vollering
2022
Annemiek van Vleuten
2025 Liège Bastogne Liège Femmes Race Profile
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Sunday 27th April 2025
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Liège Bastogne Liège Femmes 2025 Contenders
Demi Vollering returns to Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes with her sights firmly set on a third title, and based on current form, few would bet against her being in the mix after the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. The Dutch rider has never finished outside the top 11 here and boasts wins in 2021 and 2023, along with three third places. Her 2nd place on the Mur de Huy at Flèche Wallonne this week only underlined that she’s peaking perfectly. FDJ-Suez are all-in for her once again, and she’ll be backed by one of the most tactically cohesive squads in the peloton. Juliette Labous rode an exceptional lead-out for Vollering on the Mur and has been climbing strongly herself this week. 8h in both 2020 and last year, she offers more than just support. Elise Chabbey, who was 4th in 2024 and 5th in 2023, gives the team another punchy option who can go long or disrupt other teams late in the race.
For Elisa Longo Borghini, this race has been a tale of near misses. Second in both 2023 and 2024, third in 2021, and never far from the front when the race explodes over the final climbs, she’s consistently one of the strongest in the bunch. The question remains whether she can finally win it. Her 3rd at Flèche Wallonne earlier this week suggests her form hasn’t dipped since her Brabantse Pijl and Dwars door Vlaanderen wins, and the tougher terrain of Liège should play more to her favour than the explosive Mur de Huy. UAE Team ADQ has backed her fully this spring, and if the race comes down to legs on the Roche-aux-Faucons, she’ll be in the final selection again.
Canyon SRAM zondacrypto bring a balanced and dangerous line-up. Kasia Niewiadoma has made a habit of being in the front group at Liège—third in the inaugural edition back in 2017, fifth last year and fourth in 2021. Rarely does she miss the final cut, and her 4th at Flèche Wallonne confirms she’s holding strong condition into the final weekend of the Ardennes. Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig has been well off her best in 2025, but with three top-10s at this race in the past, she knows the demands and should offer solid support. The wildcard could be Chloe Dygert, who makes her debut in Liège. While she hasn’t raced the Ardennes monument before, her ability to handle hard efforts and unleash a strong finish could make her an interesting option from a second group. Soraya Paladin is another reliable figure who often rides herself into a good result here—4th in 2019, 9th in 2023—and could sprint to another top-10 if a reduced bunch comes to the line behind the leaders.
SD Worx’s chances hinge on how well Anna van der Breggen has recovered. The record books still carry her name with weight: back-to-back wins in 2017 and 2018, and 5th in her last appearance in 2021 before retiring. But she was absent from Flèche Wallonne due to illness, and that lack of racing isn’t ideal heading into a race of this length and brutality. If she is back to her usual self, her ability to attack over multiple climbs makes her a natural favourite, but it’s hard to call with confidence. Lotte Kopecky gives them another option, though her 38th place last year highlighted the limitations of her climbing over these longer ascents. She’ll likely try to hang on as long as possible, but the real damage is expected to come on the Roche-aux-Faucons, where the lighter climbers often force the final split. It’ll be a sign of where her grand tour ambitions lie if she can hang though.
At EF Education-Oatly, the opportunity is there for Kristen Faulkner to pull off a trademark late move. Twice a top-25 finisher at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes (20th in 2020 and 24th in 2021), she has yet to post a major result in 2025, but everything about her build-up points towards targeting the Vuelta and these Ardennes races. If she can attack over the Roche-aux-Faucons or time a Grace Brown-style solo effort, she could cause an upset. Cédrine Kerbaol looked lively at Flèche Wallonne, attacking on the penultimate lap, and could well do the same here if EF Education-Oatly want to get ahead of the favourites. She’s finished 16th in each of the last two editions and might need a hard, wet day to really tilt the odds in her favour.
Team Visma Lease a Bike brings a trio of options, but none bigger than Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. Her seventh place back in 2018 remains her best here after her long break from the road, but the Frenchwoman’s form this spring has been undeniable: 1st at Paris-Roubaix Femmes, 2nd at Tour of Flanders, and 3rd at Strade Bianche. She missed the split at Amstel Gold Race, but if she can endure the toughest climbs here, she’s one of the fastest finishers left standing. Mijntje Geurts arrives fresh off a breakthrough 10th at Flèche Wallonne, a huge step forward for the 21-year-old after finishing no higher than 57th in her previous Liège starts. Marion Bunel has also shown her class lately, backing up 18th at Amstel Gold Race with 18th again at Flèche Wallonne. Both Bunel and Geurts could push into the top 20.
Lidl-Trek offer a lot of firepower and a leader in form with Niamh Fisher-Black. Twice finishing 10th here in the past two editions, she’s in even better condition this year, shown by her 9th at Flèche Wallonne. The support cast is both experienced and stacked with past results. Lizzie Deignan won here in 2020 and, if fully healthy, remains dangerous in these selective races. Ellen van Dijk also has history on these roads, finishing 3rd in 2020, 4th in 2017 and 5th in 2018, though the long climbs might be on her limit these days. Amanda Spratt brings a runner-up finish from 2018 to the table and remains a great card if the team needs to send riders up the road. Riejanne Markus, 4th here just last season, offers another climbing option, while Shirin van Anrooij is still searching for a top-10 here, despite consistently strong finishes like 15th in 2023, 16th in 2022 and 18th in 2024.
Puck Pieterse could be the revelation at Fenix-Deceuninck. Winning Flèche Wallonne this week on the Mur de Huy and having already conquered Liège once before during the 2024 Tour de France Femmes stage that finished here, she knows how to win on this terrain. Although this will be her debut at Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes itself, her current form suggests she could make it two wins from two major Ardennes races. Yara Kastelijn adds good depth, with three consecutive top-20 finishes in the last three seasons (19th, 18th, and 19th). Expect her to ride aggressively to set Pieterse up late in the race.
At AG Insurance-Soudal, Kim Le Court continues her dream spring. Never raced here before, but her 6th at Flèche Wallonne this week, plus back-to-back 5th places at the Tour of Flanders and Sanremo Women, show she’s thriving in selective races. She may lack the pure climbing credentials some rivals have, but her punch and strength over long distances are real assets. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio will bring vital experience. With 4th place finishes in 2022 and 2018, and consistently inside the top-10 over the years, she’ll be key in the closing phase if the team want to split the race early or disrupt other teams’ rhythm.
Liane Lippert and Marlen Reusser give Movistar a genuine double-pronged threat heading into Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes. Lippert’s record here is rock solid, with 8th-place finishes in both 2022 and 2023 and a 10th in 2020. Her 5th place at Flèche Wallonne a few days ago was another indication that she is in some of her best form of the year. The German rider thrives when the race turns selective and aggressive, exactly what Liège usually demands. Reusser, meanwhile, makes her return to racing after a strong cobbled Classics campaign that included 3rd at the Tour of Flanders. She was 7th at Liège back in 2020 and has the raw power to make a long-range move stick. If Movistar can get her up the road before the final climbs, she could cause real problems for the favourites trying to organise a chase behind.
Expectations are quietly growing for Nienke Vinke at Team Picnic-PostNL. Her top-10 at Flèche Wallonne, where she finished 8th after a perfectly judged ride, showed she is ready to step up another level. She already finished 20th at Liège in 2024, but there is every reason to believe she can go significantly better this time. Supporting her will be Pfeiffer Georgi, who has the tactical smarts to follow dangerous moves, and Marta Cavalli, who once finished 6th here when at her best. With Vinke emerging as the clear leader, the team will likely rally around her, especially if the race turns aggressive early.
The Liège debut of Monica Trinca Colonel is eagerly awaited, especially after a frustrating mechanical robbed her of a better result at Flèche Wallonne. Despite that, she still finished 22nd, showing real grit and strong legs. With her aggressive racing style and improving climbing, she could surprise a few bigger names if she finds herself in the right group. Silke Smulders will also line up for her first attempt at Liège, and after top-10 finishes at Strade Bianche and other hilly classics this year, there is quiet optimism she could push for a top-20 placing if the race becomes attritional.
Liège Bastogne Liège Femmes 2025 Outsiders
The 7-Eleven retro jerseys of Uno-X Mobility will certainly catch the eye, but Katrine Aalerud has the legs to make a lasting impression as well. The Norwegian finished 9th here in 2020 and has shown she is building form at just the right time, finishing 12th at Amstel Gold Race and 16th at Flèche Wallonne. She excels when the climbs come thick and fast but not too explosively steep, making the long drags of the Ardennes perfect terrain. Solbjørk Minke Anderson, who finished 17th here last year, has had a quieter spring but could play an important role in protecting Aalerud deep into the race or covering early moves.
After a solid spring mixed in with a bit of bad luck at inopportune moments, Eline Jansen looks set to make another step forward for VolkerWessels. She has placed 17th at both Amstel Gold and Flèche Wallonne in the past week, making her one of the most consistent climbers among the second-tier teams this spring. A 46th-place finish in 2024 will not satisfy her this time around. Margot Vanpachtenbeke, meanwhile, has found form harder to come by after a promising start to her season. Her best results recently were 27th at Brabantse Pijl and 53rd at Amstel, suggesting she might play more of a support role.
Team Coop-Repsol will be pinning their hopes on Stina Kagevi, who has been steadily improving across the spring. She impressed with 15th at Brabantse Pijl and followed it up with 32nd at Flèche Wallonne, suggesting she can manage repeated climbs well. The longer distance and heavier climbing load at Liège will be a new test, but her engine and endurance could allow her to stay in the mix deeper into the race, especially if it splinters late.
At Winspace Orange Seal, Karolina Perekitko remains one of the most interesting developing riders. She showed her climbing quality with a podium at Région Pays de la Loire and was 14th at Brabantse Pijl, only to DNF at Flèche Wallonne. The tougher parcours of Liège might suit her better if she recovers quickly and manages her effort wisely. Alongside her, Nadia Gontova has also been riding strongly, even if the final results have not yet fully reflected her abilities. Both riders could threaten from a second group or by getting up the road early in a move.
Belgian fans will be watching Audrey de Keersmaeker closely as she looks to continue her breakout spring for Lotto Ladies. She was 9th at Volta NXT Classic and 13th at Brabantse Pijl, showcasing strong climbing legs and tactical awareness. Although the steeper efforts at Flèche Wallonne proved more difficult, Liège’s longer, more gradual climbs may play to her strengths. If she can find the right group and save her energy for the finale, a top-20 finish is certainly on the cards.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Demi Vollering
⦿ Elisa Longo Borghini
⦿ Puck Pieterse
