Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes Live – Can Demi Vollering defend her crown?

The wind looks like it will be a factor today. It’s a strong headwind, currently 26 km/h. Usually that means that riders will not attack as a solo rider or a smaller group in a headwind will be at a big disadvantage to the peloton.

No attacks yet in the opening kilometres.

After 14km, the riders will take on the first of our nine classified climbs on the route – although there are many unclassified bumps too.

The first one is the Côte de Saint-Roch (1km and 10.3%). It could be a good launchpad for anyone who wants to attack.

152.9km to go

The official start has been given.

We’re moments away from the official start. 

It’s a lumpy, but not terribly hard first third of the race. Eight of the nine classified climbs come within the final 100km.

One rider from the original start-list will not take part this afternoon, that’s Barbara Malcotti of Human Powered Health.

Demi Vollering has vowed to fight back after losing her Fléche Wallonne crown mid-week. ‘Liège is a very different race’ she said as she looked to put her focus on what lies ahead.

Demi Vollering turns to Liège-Bastogne-Liège defence after Flèche defeat

Neutral Start

The riders are off for the neutral start. The racing should get going properly in around ten minutes.

One rider who impressed on Wednesday at Fléche Wallonne was Pauline Rooijakkers. She made a key attack in the finale and still managed to finish sixth at the line. After that, she has set her eyes on a podium result today.

Rooijakkers surprised with 6th place in Flèche Wallonne after attacking race

There are nine classified climbs on the route today.

The most decisive are the Côte de la Redoute (1.5km at 9.3%) and the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons (1.2km at 10.7%), both coming in the final 35 kilometres.

This is the longest ever edition of Liége – Bastogne – Liége Femmes. The organisers have added 10 kilometres onto the route from last year to make it 152.9km in total. That makes this race one of the longest of the year.

We’re roughly ten minutes from the neutral start.

Liége – Bastogne – Liége is one of three monument races that the women’s peloton shares with the men’s – the others being the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix.

Lizzie Deignan is the only rider to have won all three. Two riders could join her today.

The Monuments – Longo Borghini, Kopecky in contention to claim all three at Liège-Bastogne-Liège

So who are the contenders for the race today?

Defending champion Demi Vollering comes into the race without a win so far this season and looks a way off her Ardennes dominating form from last season. She can’t be written-off, however, and still comes into the race as a top favourite.

What about Kasia Niewiadoma? Her big win on Wednesday is sure to fill her with confidence.

Lidl-Trek’s Elisa Longo Borghini has also been in great form in the past few weeks. She has a strong team around her too.

Here are CyclingNews’ top contenders for today’s races.

Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2024 – Analysing the contenders

With less than half an hour to go, it’s started to snow at the start in Bastogne.

Here’s Ashleigh Moolman Pasio’s AG Insurance -Soudal squad before the start, all wrapped up against the elements. 

Added to the temperature at 2 degrees celcius in Bastogne at the moment is a northerly wind to add to the chill. That also means a headwind for much of the race today.

The riders will set of in about half an hour and they will do so in bitterly cold conditions, similar to Fléche Wallonne on Wednesday.

Temperatures have been between 2 and 5 degrees most of the day around the route. Unlike on Wednesday, it looks like the rain will stay away this afternoon.

With Amstel Gold and Fléche Wallonne already behind us, it’s been an exciting week of racing already.

Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) snatched victory from under the nose of Lorena Wiebes last Sunday.

Then, midweek, Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) took her first victory on the road since 2019 at the Fléche Wallone.

Both in-form riders have to be considered contenders this afternoon.

It’s the finale of the Spring Classics and the last of the Ardennes races for this year.

Demi Vollering of SD Worx-Protime won the race last year to complete her famous Ardennes triple. Can she repeat this time and put a shine on what has been a winless spring so far?

Welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes.