The 2025 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes began with the peloton rolling out from Place McAuliffe under warm spring sunshine. The 152.9-kilometre course, peppered with ten categorised climbs, offered little respite, and the opening attacks came early. Despite a headwind, the pace was aggressive, with the first serious break forming after the Côte de Saint-Roch.
However, the peloton kept the attackers on a tight leash. A crash involving Silvia Persico of UAE Team ADQ and Liane Lippert of Movistar disrupted the rhythm; Persico was forced to abandon before the second climb, the Côte de Mont-le-Soie. Meanwhile, a group including Tiril Jørgensen, Constance Valentin, Victoire Guilman and Laura Molenaar pulled clear, later joined by Sylvie Swinkels and Fariba Hashimi.
Their advantage never looked secure. With 70 kilometres remaining, and after crossing the Haute-Levée, the gap had been significantly reduced by FDJ-Suez and UAE Team ADQ, who drove the pace in the peloton.
Maeva Squiban launched a solo move before the Col du Rosier, gaining over a minute, but her attack unravelled on the fierce gradients of La Redoute. It was here the race came alive. Pauliena Rooijakkers from Fenix-Deceuninck attacked hard, splitting the peloton, with Anna van der Breggen of SD Worx-Protime, Antonia Niedermaier from Canyon SRAM Zondacrypto, and Cédrine Kerbaol of EF Education-Oatly following.
For a moment, the quartet appeared poised to decide the race among themselves, but behind them, Puck Pieterse, Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky marshalled the chase. As the group crested La Redoute and sped towards the Côte des Forges, it all came back together.
The critical selection occurred on the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons. As Vollering lifted the pace, only Pieterse and Kopecky could respond initially. Cédrine Kerbaol, who had stayed strong after her earlier attack, latched on too. Kopecky, however, could not hold the pace on the steepest ramps and was dropped just past the summit.
Kim Le Court, who had been distanced earlier, rode an extraordinary tempo, pacing her way back to the lead trio. She bridged the gap alone, overtaking Kopecky in the process.
Sensing her opportunity, Kerbaol tried a late attack, but with Le Court’s fresh legs added to the chase, the move was brought back. The four riders entered the final kilometre together along the Quai des Ardennes. Vollering led into the sprint, with Le Court positioned perfectly behind her.
Despite cramping in the final moments, Le Court launched first, surprising Pieterse and Vollering, and held on to take a career-defining victory. In doing so, she became the first African rider — male or female — ever to win a cycling Monument, sealing her place in the sport’s history.
Photo Credit: GettyPost-race reactions
Kim Le Court was still processing the magnitude of her achievement when she spoke after the finish. Having spent much of the final hour fighting to stay in contention, she credited her victory to pure persistence.
I have no words. I suffered a little today with my breathing, I couldn’t breathe properly and got dropped several times, but I never gave up. Everyone in the team encouraged me through the earpiece and gave me so much courage. When I finally bridged to the front after Roche-aux-Faucons, I just trusted my sprint. It’s unbelievable
The Mauritian national champion, whose flag was seen waving at the roadside, was emotional after the finish, knowing the significance of her triumph.
I saw a Mauritian flag on the course today, and it made me so proud. I have been close all spring, and to finally pull it off here at Liège is so special. I knew I had good legs, and once I rejoined the leaders, I told myself I would not leave without trying everything
For Puck Pieterse, second place was bittersweet. The 22-year-old Fenix-Deceuninck rider, who had already won Flèche Wallonne earlier in the week, reflected honestly on the final sprint.
Of course, you’re always aiming for the win. Maybe if we had kept the pace a bit higher after Roche-aux-Faucons, Kim would not have made it across. But she played it perfectly. In the sprint, I got onto her wheel, but I just couldn’t get out from behind her. Still, I have to be happy. It’s been an incredible spring
Pieterse concluded her classics campaign having finished inside the top ten in every one-day race she started this year.
Demi Vollering, third across the line, acknowledged that she had little left by the finish after an aggressive day of racing.
It was a very tough day. The race was always on, and I had to use a lot to stay near the front. When Kim came back, I could see she still had something extra. She was smart in how she rode the final
Vollering now turns her attention towards the Spanish stage races in May, including the Vuelta Femenina.
Lotte Kopecky, who finished fifth, spoke frankly about falling short of her main goal for the spring.
I started the Roche-aux-Faucons climb feeling quite good, but the last kilometre really hurt. I simply didn’t have the same legs today that I had at Flanders or Roubaix. That’s part of it. You can’t be perfect every day. I have to be proud of my spring overall
Kopecky will now take a period of recovery before preparing for the Tour de France Femmes and the Paris Olympics.
Photo Credit: Getty2025 Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes result
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Main photo credit: AG Insurance-Soudal
