23rd April – La Flèche Wallonne Féminine: Huy – Huy
This year’s edition of La Flèche Wallonne Féminine was a tough test for riders, with unpredictable weather and the demanding parcours. The rain and cold temperatures made the already brutal climbs even more challenging, especially the iconic Mur de Huy, which would once again decide the outcome of the race. Team Picnic PostNL entered with Nienke Vinke and Marta Cavalli as potential finishers. However, Cavalli was forced to leave the race early, leaving Nienke to lead the team through the challenging finale.
The race reached its decisive phase on the penultimate climb, the Côte de Cherave, where the pace ramped up significantly. Nienke Vinke and Eleonora Ciabocca stayed attentive near the front, navigating the high tempo as the peloton prepared for the classic final surge up the Mur de Huy. Heading into the final ascent, Eleonora positioned Nienke perfectly, setting her up for a strong finish. Digging deep on the steep slopes, Nienke crossed the line in an impressive 8th place.
After the race, Vinke said: “It was a rainy and cold day. The race was quite chaotic with narrow country roads, rough tarmac, and a few slippery corners. Fortunately, the teamwork was really strong today. Esmée, Josie, and Pfeiffer did a great job positioning Eleonora and me ahead of the narrow sections and the climbs. Unfortunately, Marta had to abandon the race early due to the cold, but she’ll be back on Sunday.
In the final circuit, Eleonora kept positioning me well throughout. The first time up the Mur de Huy was a good test for the legs and we were both near the front over the top, which gave us confidence. After that, Eleonora stayed sharp on the attacks while I tried to save as much as possible for the finale. On the final ascent of the Mur, I started a bit too far back, but I managed to move up and finish inside the top ten. I felt good today – and Eleonora had great legs too – so it’s nice to see that we’re both coming from of altitude camp in good shape. That bodes well for the upcoming races.”