Van der Breggen and Vollering ready for Liège – Bastogne – Liège
The period of spring classics will end this Sunday with the last of the four Ardennes classics, Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Also called the heaviest. With 140 kilometers it is the longest and by many also called the toughest Ardennes classic. The start is in Bastogne and finish in Liège. The course includes 7 climbs, namely:
- Côte de Wanne (56.7 km) – 3.6 km with a 5.1 percent gradient
- Côte de la Haute-Levée (65.1 km) – 2.2 km with a 7.5 percent gradient
- Col du Rosier (79.2 km) – 4.5 km with a 5.9 percent gradient
- Côte de Desnié (92.6 km) – 1.6 km with 8.1 percent gradient
- Côte de La Redoute (105.7 km) – 2.1 km with an 8.9 percent gradient
- Côte des Forges (117.6 km) – 1.3 km with 7.8 percent gradient
- Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (127.6 km) – 1.3 km with an 11 percent gradient
Our line-up inclludes: Anna van der Breggen, Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, Elena Cecchini, Niamh-Fisher Black, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and Demi Vollering. Anna van der Breggen won this competition in 2017 and 2018. And in 2019 Demi Vollering finished in third place.
It is no secret that Liège-Bastogne-Liège is Demi Vollering’s favorite race. “This match is so brutal,” she explains. “The last two years it has also been very bad weather, which makes it even more difficult. I love that. This year two new climbs have been added to the course, which will make the race even tougher. I have special memories of this race because I reached my first World Tour podium here. All climbs are very tough, but the Côte de la Redoute is extra special. It’s really cool to race there. ”
Vollering continues: “The form is good. I have a good feeling and after a few months, I already feel very much at home in the team. Of course, you have to see how it goes on Sunday, how you feel and how the legs feel. You also need a bit of luck. I hope it will be my day. ”
World champion Anna van der Breggen is also optimistic looking ahead to Liège-Bastogne-Liège after her seventh consecutive victory in the Flèche Wallonne. “This is a completely different race. In La Flèche Wallonne the entire race is concentrated on the last climb of the Muur van Huy. You never know where the race will be decided in “Liège”. As a result, you have to be continuously focused on what is happening and make sure you are properly positioned. I love this tough race and I hope to find again the good legs that I had in the Flèche Wallonne.”