Once again, FDJ-Suez will line up for Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes with impressive firepower in their ranks, including the pre-race favourite Demi Vollering, who has finished on La Doyenne podium in five out of her six starts, with victories in 2021 and 2023 and third place in 2019, 2022 and 2024.
After her victory at Strade Bianche Donne in March, Vollering is eager for another win in Liège, especially after narrowly missing out at La Flèche Wallonne Femmes on Wednesday, finishing just two seconds behind Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck). Her team, and especially teammate Juliette Labous, worked to position her throughout the race and up the final Mur de Huy climb, but Pieterse ultimately outpowered her in the last 150 meters.
However, Vollering is not going into the race with a feeling of revenge against her compatriot Pieterse, she simply wants to win against all competitors.
“She is doing really good this year," Vollering said of Pieterse, "and she won in Liège last year, so of course she’ll be a rider to watch. It makes for a rivalry, but it doesn’t matter against who I win, I always want to win."
Labous said that the team was fully committed to supporting Vollering, but was also prepared to pursue other opportunities if they arose.
“We're going to really try to do everything for Demi because I think it's still the best card and so, we didn't win the Amstel or the Flèche so a little more pressure on the team so I think it will still be the best option but of course we have to be open-minded depending on the race scenarios," Labous told Cycling Pro net.
FDJ-Suez manager Stephen Delcourt echoed that sentiment, noting that last year, the French team claimed victory in Liège thanks to Grace Brown, who retired at the end of 2024.
“Liège has shown that you can't just use one card, it’s a very open race,” he said. “We won with Grace Brown by taking the first breakaway. The scenario in the women's race, the year [Lizzie] Deignan won, was that the breakaway was never seen again. So we can't just play with one card."
One of those cards could be Labous herself who changed slightly her training approach last winter, and now “feels really strong on punchy efforts and that was really my fault in recent years.”
The 152.9-km course through the Ardennes is peppered with nine climbs and features the finale of Côte de la Redoute, Les Forges and La Roche-aux-Faucons again.
