Velominati Super Prestige: Womens Liege-Bastogne Liege 2017

The closest we can come to a Ladies LBL photo

The Ardennes Triple is something that hasn’t been won very often by male riders, and no woman has ever accomplished it. Mostly because until this year, it hasn’t existed. While Amstel Gold and La Fleche both held Women’s events, Liege has only just got on the program. (We are waiting for you, Milan Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix and il Giro di Lombardia.)

Women’s racing has always been something we’ve worked to support, most actively when we included the full women’s race calendar in the VSP for the first time in 2012. I’m not sure what the VSP has done for Women’s racing exposure, if anything, but it certainly has helped those of us who participate in the VSP gain more awareness of how the women’s field is made up beyond the big and obvious names. And for those participants who have taken the time to do the research, it has made the difference in who wins the VSP overall and who doesn’t.

I’m thrilled to see such a major race take on a Women’s event, and I can’t wait to see Anna VDB take the first triple. And remember the obvious variation of Rule #47: Don’t ride triples, win triples.

Get your picks in, study the start list once it surfaces, and good luck!

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frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Randy C says:

Apr 20 2017 at 4:27 am

100% and 10-4 agree to supporting women's racing ! I love it. And, for some REAL podium girls:

These young ladies raced 13-14 Jr's before jumping in to the women's cat 3/4. They're strong. And I know for a fact the young lady standing on 2nd loves nothing more than watching me suffer trying to keep up with her up a hill. So not only strong, but have that killer, want to crush souls, kinda competitive attitude. It's awesome. The young ladies on 1 and 3 race for a team that's been supporting women's junior cycling for long time. Great stuff. Can we only imagine the ladies racing the Arenberg hey? Let's hope it's reality sooner rather than later. Cheers all.
chuckp says:

Apr 20 2017 at 5:28 am
History in the making!

VSP PICKS:
1. Anna Van Der Breggen
2. Katarzyna Niewiadoma
3. Annemiek Van Vleuten
4. Elisa Longo Borghini
5. Coryn Rivera
Quasar says:

Apr 20 2017 at 6:56 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Anna van der Breggen
2. Lizzie Deignen
3. Annemiek van Vleuten
4. Ashleigh Moolman Pasio
5. Longo Borghini
Rick says:

Apr 20 2017 at 7:00 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Van der Breggen
2. Diegnan
3. Van Vleuten
4. Rivera
5. Niewiadoma
MangoDave says:

Apr 20 2017 at 7:37 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Van der Breggen
2. Borghini
3. Rivera
4. Niewiadima
5. Van vleuten
Skip says:

Apr 20 2017 at 7:42 am
VSP PICKS:
1. van der Breggen
2. Van Vleuten
3. Rivera
4. Niewiadoma
5. Longo Borghini
David van dijk says:

Apr 20 2017 at 9:34 am
VSP PICKS:
1. vd Breggen
2. Deignan
3. Niewiadoma
4. v Vleuten
5. Rivera
David van dijk says:

Apr 20 2017 at 9:36 am

well .. I can't do nothing but support vd Breggen towards the triple .. pure class she has
taon24 says:

Apr 20 2017 at 10:40 am
VSP PICKS:
1. Van der Breggen
2. Deignan
3. Longo Borghini
4. Niewadoma
5. Van Vleuten
frank says:

Apr 20 2017 at 12:05 pm
Is it too early to joke about that horrific crash in the Olympic Road Race?

VSP PICKS:
1. Anna VDB
2. Queen Lizzie
3. Annemiek van Faceplanting
4. New Madonna
5. Moolman