The start of La Flèche Wallonne Femmes is also in Huy. Firstly, the riders head southeast for a lap of approximately 80 kilometres. The first climb is the Côte de Warre, which is a 2.2 kilometres uphill with an average gradient of 4.9%. The route returns towards Huy to enter the final circuit just before hitting the second climb, Côte d’Ereffe. It’s a 2.1 kilometres ascent at 5%, although the average gradient is biased as the first 1.5 kilometres are a lot steeper than that. The last 600 metres are merely a false flat.
The route continues to the Côte de Cherave, a 1.3 kilometres climb at 8.1% that’s crested 4.2 kilometres before the foot of the iconic Wall of Huy. The second lap commences at the top of the Wall. At 29 kilometres, the final lap includes all the above mentioned hills: Côte d’Ereffe, Côte de Cherave, and the final haul up the Wall of Huy.
The Ardennes are nowhere near flat, but the Wall of Huy is extreme. It’s a 1.3 kilometres drag at 9.6% and, again, the average gradient is biased. In the first 400 metres the Wall looks like nothing special, but the ensuing 400 metres are something else with an average gradient of 11%. Still, we are only getting warmed-up as the steepest section kicks in with a 17% gradient before the following 300 metres serve an average gradient of 14%. The last 100 metres are relatively easy: 6%.
Anna van der Breggen is the Queen of La Flèche Wallonne. The World Champion won the last four editions of the race.
Other interesting reads: results/race report and start list La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2019.
La Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2019: route, profiles, more
Click on the images to zoom
