Vollering was already at the front of the leading group of just 15 riders going into the final climb, which was around 1000 metres long and up to 19 per cent steep. About halfway up, a gap opened up to Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto), who was riding directly behind her. While Vollering continued to crank stubbornly in a seated position, the gap widened. Amstel winner Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) and Pieterse followed suit, but were initially unable to close the gap.

Only when the road flattened out again at the top did Pieterse make up metre after metre in the cadence. When Vollering was almost ready to cheer and turned round again, she realised that Pieterse had almost caught up, so she had to get out of the saddle and sprint again to repeat her second victory after 2023. Blasi finished third, Niewiadoma fourth. Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), who had also been part of the leading group, finished the race in 14th place.

"I'm very happy to have won here," said Vollering after the race. "I think it was quite impressive. I always rode my pace and had no idea what was happening behind me because I never looked behind. But then at the top I sensed that Puck was quite close. And then I had to sprint again," said the 29-year-old after 148 kilometres around Huy.

Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2026 - Results

>> La Flèche Wallonne Women 2026: Pieterse, Ferrand-Prévot & Vollering fight for victory

How the Flèche Wallonne Femmes 2026 went

It was initially a duo that dominated the first half of the Flèche Wallonne. Malou Eisen (VolkerWessels Cycling Team) and Lotte Claes (Fenix - Premier Tech) formed a duo that was chased for a long time by a larger chasing group. This included two Germans, Ricarda Bauernfeind (Lidl - Trek) and Justyna Czapla (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto), until Czapla dropped out of the group with a defect.

81 kilometres into the race, at around the halfway point, the chasers had caught up, so that eleven women were together at the front. However, the gap to the peloton had already melted away considerably by this point. Ten kilometres later it was completely gone. The peloton then completed the first of two laps over Cote d'Ereffe, Cote de Cherave and the Mur de Huy together. Axelle Dubau-Prévot (EF Education - Oatly) then went on the offensive in the wall. Shortly afterwards, Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) followed suit. The duo went into the final 30 kilometres together with a one-minute lead.

Once their lead had been halved by the second Cote d'Ereffe, they extended their gap again. At the Cherave eight kilometres before the finish, however, it was over. There, FDJ - Suez then sifted through the field, with only 15 women going into the absolute finale on the Mur. Vollering quickly set her own pace there - one that was too fast for everyone else. Pieterse was able to close the gap in the flatter part of the final 100 metres, but was unable to overtake Vollering.