Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney's Tough Break at Mur de Huy

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney experienced a frustrating setback during the Flèche Wallonne Femmes, where she was unable to shift gears effectively on the challenging Mur de Huy. After finishing fourth, she expressed her disappointment, stating, "I’m definitely not happy. I was really bummed with the last climb because I got stuck on the big chain ring. I had to just power through the climb and couldn’t shift to the small one for some reason. That was not ideal, and we didn’t come here for fourth, but c’est la vie."

Niewiadoma-Phinney, who had recently secured a second-place finish at the Amstel Gold Race, was considered a strong contender for victory at this event, especially after her success in 2024. However, a mechanical issue meant that she had to push a larger gear, which hindered her ability to keep pace with the eventual winner, Demi Vollering of FDJ United-Suez. As Vollering surged ahead, Niewiadoma-Phinney found herself overtaken by Puck Pieterse and Paula Blasi, who claimed the remaining podium spots.

Despite the disappointment, Niewiadoma-Phinney took solace in her team’s performance, noting a significant improvement from their previous outing at the Amstel Gold Race. "I’m super happy with how the team rode, it was a massive step up from Amstel. That was nice to see, and I felt good. Hopefully, on Sunday, we show it even more," she said, looking ahead to the upcoming Liège-Bastogne-Liège race.

Anna van der Breggen, a former champion of the event, also made headlines with her fifth-place finish. After dominating the race from 2015 to 2021, she showcased her experience and resilience, overtaking world champion Magdeleine Vallières in the final stretch. Van der Breggen acknowledged the growing competitiveness in women’s cycling, stating, "The overall level is higher, and positioning is key – you get pushed aside so often compared to before. Compared to last year, I have taken a step forward. On the Mur, Demi was simply the best today. I couldn’t go any faster and tried to pace it well. Actually, fifth place is a good result."

As the cycling season progresses, Niewiadoma-Phinney and her teammates are determined to build on their performances and tackle the challenges ahead with renewed vigor.