Queens line up for the 10th
April 23 rd 2026 - 17:50
- The tenth edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Women brings together on Sunday the greatest specialists of hilly classics, starting with Demi Vollering.
- In search of a third triumph in the Ardent City, the Dutch star will meet again some of her greatest rivals: Anna van der Breggen, Puck Pieterse, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Kasia Niewadoma-Phinney…
- Among the newcomers on the roads of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Women, Spain’s Paula Blasi is brimming with confidence after accompanying Vollering and Pieterse on the podium of La Flèche Wallonne Women.
All dressed to the nines for the tenth edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Women. Sunday, the Ardent City and the Ardennes hills will see the biggest stars of the international peloton battle for Liège glory. On the front line, Demi Vollering (FDJ United - Suez) dreams of returning to the top step of a podium she knows very well: she triumphed in 2021 and 2023, and took third place in 2019, 2024 and 2025. The European champion is at the peak of her art: six victories this season, including the most recent on Wednesday on the Mur de Huy, where she laid down the law to reclaim La Flèche Wallonne Women.
To do the same on Sunday, she is once again counting on the collective strength of FDJ United - Suez (with Élise Chabbey, Juliette Berthet and Évita Muzic in particular). They will need to contain Puck Pieterse (Fenix - Premier Tech), who had beaten Vollering last year both in Huy (1st) and in Liège (2nd behind Kim Le Court, absent this year). Another close rival, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx - Protime) had won the first two editions (2017, 2018) before leading Vollering to victory in 2021. The young Dutchwoman was taking her first UCI Women’s World Tour victory while her elder was taking her leave, before making her return in 2025 (11th).
The list of prestigious contenders continues with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma - Lease a Bike) and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon//Sram Zondacrypto), the only ones to have beaten Vollering in the Tour de France Femmes, in 2024 for the Polish rider, 2025 for the Frenchwoman. Like Van der Breggen, PFP already made her return to Liège last year (12th). But she has made her fourth participation (withdrawal in 2017, 7th in 2018) the main goal of her spring 2026, before turning to stage races. As for Niewadoma-Phinney, she is the only rider to have finished the first nine editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège Women. She already featured on the podium in 2017 (3rd) and is aiming for victory this Sunday after a frustrating 4th place in Huy.
Just ahead of her on the Mur, Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) dreams of a spectacular debut in Liège, after dazzling first appearances at the Amstel (winner) and La Flèche (3rd). Wednesday’s showdown also confirmed the very strong form of world champion Magdeleine Vallières Mill (6th), who reunites in Liège with Cédrine Kerbaol (4th last year). The young prodigies Isabella Holmgren (9th at 20 years old) and Nienke Vinke (10th, 21 years old) also stood out in Huy. The list of contenders overflows with talent for this tenth Liège celebration. It remains to identify the best among them.
21 teams, the main riders:
Australia
Liv - AlUla - Jayco : Monica Trinca Colonel (ITA), Ella Wyllie (NZL)
Belgium
AG Insurance - Soudal : Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (ZAF), Lore de Schepper (BEL)
Fenix - Premier Tech : Puck Pieterse (NLD), Yara Kastelijn (BEL)
Lotto Intermarché Ladies : Anelies Nijssen (BEL)
France
Cofidis : Julie Bego (FRA)
FDJ United - Suez : Demi Vollering (Ned), Juliette Berthet (RA), Élise Chabbey (CHE), Évita Muzic (FRA)
Ma Petite Entreprise : Morgane Coston (FRA)
Mayenne Monbana My Pie : Karolina Perekitko (POL)
St Michel - Preference Home - Auber93 : India Grangier (FRA)
Germany
Canyon//Sram zondacrypto : Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (POL), Antonia Niedermayer (DEU)
Lidl - Trek : Niamh Fisher-Black (NZL), Ricarda Bauernfeind (DEU), Isabella Holmgren (CAN), Shirin van Anrooij (NLD)
Netherlands
Picnic PostNL : Audrey De Keersmaeker (BEL)
SD Worx - Protime : Lotte Kopecky (BEL), Mischa Bredewold, Anna van der Breggen, Nienke Vinke (NLD)
Visma - Lease a Bike : Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Marion Bunel (FRA), Sarah Van Dam (CAN)
VolkerWessels : Malou Eisen (NLD)
Norway
Uno-X Mobility : Katrine Aalerud, Sigrid Haugset (NOR)
Spain
Laboral Kutxa - Fundacion Euskadi : Usa Ostolaza, Irati Aranguren (ESP)
Movistar : Liane Lippert (DEU)
United Arab Emirates
UAE Team ADQ: Paula Blasi (ESP), Maëva Squiban (FRA), Karlijn Swinkels (NLD)
United States
EF Education - Oatly : Magdeleine Vallières Mill (CAN), Cédrine Kerbaol (FRA), Noemi Rüegg (CHE)
Human Powered Health : Titia Ryo (FRA), Thalita de Jong (NLD)