'I got stuck on the big chain ring', Niewiadoma-Phinney fourth at La Flèche Wallonne after shifting failure on Mur de Huy finale

'I got stuck on the big chain ring', Niewiadoma-Phinney fourth at La Flèche Wallonne after shifting failure on Mur de Huy finale

Katarzyna Niewiadoma was unable to shift out of her big chainring on the final climb, forcing her to grind up the Mur de Huy at low cadence. She finished six seconds behind winner Demi Vollering but remains confident ahead of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn · · 3 min read

Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) finished fourth at La Flèche Wallonne Femmes on Wednesday after a her gears malfunctioned, leaving her unable to change down from her big cog to the small cog as Demi Vollering (FDJ United-Suez) rode clear on the final Mur de Huy ascent with the Polish champion finishing just six seconds back, despite her issues.

"Definitely not happy," Niewiadoma-Phinney said in a finish-line interview with Cycling Pro Net. "I was really bummed with the last climb because I got stuck on the big chain ring and then I had to just power through the climb. Couldn't shift on the small one for some reason. Not ideal."

Riding up the Mur de Huy in the big chain ring is extremely impressive as the gradients of the famous climb peak over 20% with the road surface also causing all kinds of issues. She was forced to use heavier and slower pedal revolutions, leaving her simply unable to react to her rival's acceleration when it came with about 400 metres to go.

The margins for error are always so small on this climb with the finishing places showing that. Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Premier Tech) saved all her energy for the final 100 metres where she rapidly closed the gap on European champion, Vollering. Giving the eventual winner the fright of her life with about 20 metres to go. They finished on the same time with Amstel Gold Race winner, Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ), finishing third at just three seconds, Niewiadoma-Phinney fourth at six seconds, and Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx - Protime) fifth at eleven seconds.

Results

Apr 22

Velora
PosRiderTeamTime
🥇
Demi Vollering
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ3:53:27
🥈
Puck Pieterse
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+00
🥉
Paula Blasi Cairol
UAE TEAM ADQ+03
4
Katarzyna Anna Niewiadoma-Phinney
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+06
5
Anna van der Breggen
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+11
6
Magdeleine Vallieres Mill
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+14
7
Pauline Ferrand Prevot
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+28
8
Niamh Mary Fisher-Black
LIDL - TREK+34
9
Isabella Holmgren
LIDL - TREK+40
10
Nienke Vinke
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+40
11
Monica Trinca Colonel
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+45
12
Mona Mitterwallner
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+49
13
Katrine Aalerud
UNO-X MOBILITY+53
14
Liane Lippert
MOVISTAR TEAM+55
15
Margarita Victoria Garcia Cañellas
UAE TEAM ADQ+55
16
Elise Chabbey
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+1:09
17
Juliette Berthet
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+1:09
18
Lore de Schepper
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+1:26
19
Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset
UNO-X MOBILITY+1:28
20
Ella Wyllie
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+1:33
21
Noemi Rüegg
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+1:42
22
Axelle Dubau-Prevot
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+1:42
23
Maeva Squiban
UAE TEAM ADQ+1:48
24
Sarah van Dam
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:48
25
Marion Bunel
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:51
26
Cecilie Ludwig
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+1:51
27
Steffi Häberlin
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+1:51
28
Erica Magnaldi
UAE TEAM ADQ+1:51
29
Femke de Vries
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+1:56
30
Morgane Coston
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+1:56
31
Karolina Perekitko
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+1:56
32
Julie Bego
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+1:56
33
Greta Marturano
UAE TEAM ADQ+2:01
34
Loes Adegeest
LIDL - TREK+2:06
35
Eline Jansen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+2:06
36
Lotte Claes
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+2:06
37
Antonia Niedermaier
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+2:06
38
Annelies Frieda Bart Nijssen
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+2:12
39
Sara Casasola
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+2:12
40
Ema Comte
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+2:12
41
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+2:12
42
Laura Asencio
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+2:12
43
Titia Ryo
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+2:19
44
Audrey de Keersmaeker
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+2:25
45
Clémence Latimier
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+2:25
46
Yara Kastelijn
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+2:29
47
Valentina Cavallar
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+2:40
48
Paula Andrea Patiño Bedoya
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+2:42
49
Marieke Meert
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+2:53
50
Riejanne Markus
LIDL - TREK+2:55
51
Mareille Meijer
MOVISTAR TEAM+2:57
52
Tess Moerman
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+3:03
53
Léa Curinier
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+3:12
54
Evita Muzic
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+3:12
55
Alice Madeleine Towers
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+3:24
56
Rosita Reijnhout
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+3:26
57
Sandrine Tas
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+3:35
58
India Grangier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+4:51
59
Anouska Koster
UNO-X MOBILITY+4:54
60
Amanda Spratt
LIDL - TREK+6:14
61
Francesca Barale
MOVISTAR TEAM+6:32
62
Solène Muller
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+6:50
63
Nadia Gontova
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+7:23
64
Usoa Ostolaza Zabala
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+7:30
65
Eva van Agt
FDJ UNITED - SUEZ+7:52
66
Julie van de Velde
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+8:01
67
Iurani Blanco Calbet
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+8:17
68
Natalie Quinn
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+8:28
69
Ana Vitoria Gouvea Vieira Almeida Magalhaes
MOVISTAR TEAM+9:29
70
Ingvild Gåskjenn
UNO-X MOBILITY+9:29
71
Mischa Bredewold
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+9:29
72
Viktória Chladoňová
TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE+9:47
73
Mijntje Geurts
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+9:47
74
Nina Buijsman
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+9:47
75
Ricarda Bauernfeind
LIDL - TREK+10:39
76
Silke Smulders
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+10:46
77
Mikayla Harvey
TEAM SD WORX - PROTIME+10:54
78
Emilie Morier
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+10:59
79
Yuliia Biriukova
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+11:17
80
Carina Schrempf
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+11:31
81
Celia le Mouel
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+11:34
82
Carlotta Cipressi
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+12:21
83
Marine Allione
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+12:21
84
Marit Raaijmakers
HUMAN POWERED HEALTH+12:21
85
Aniek van Alphen
FENIX-PREMIER TECH+12:31
86
Tiril Jørgensen
LABORAL KUTXA - FUNDACION EUSKADI+12:37
87
Matilde Vitillo
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+12:37
88
Léa Stern
MA PETITE ENTREPRISE+12:37
89
Malou Eisen
VOLKERWESSELS CYCLING TEAM+12:37
90
Juliana Londoño David
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:47
91
Stina Kagevi
EF EDUCATION - OATLY+12:47
92
Sara Martin Martin
MOVISTAR TEAM+12:51
93
Gaia Masetti
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+12:53
94
Dina Boels
LOTTO INTERMARCHE LADIES+12:53
95
Justyna Czapla
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+13:06
96
Alice Coutinho
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+13:19
97
Clara Emond
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+13:19
98
Allison Mrugal
MAYENNE MONBANA MY PIE+13:19
99
Soraya Paladin
CANYON//SRAM ZONDACRYPTO+13:22
100
Alison Jackson
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+13:22
101
Anya Louw
AG INSURANCE - SOUDAL TEAM+13:25
102
Heidi Franz
ST MICHEL - PREFERENCE HOME - AUBER93+17:43
103
Hannah Ludwig
COFIDIS WOMEN TEAM+17:43
104
Josie Talbot
LIV-ALULA-JAYCO+17:46
105
Daniela Hezinová
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL+17:50

Asked whether she felt the victory was possible without the mechanical problem, the former Flèche Wallonne winner just continued to show her immediate disappointment after crossing the finish line. "I mean, I don't know. It was just not ideal with the low cadence up the climb," she said. "But yeah, Demi was super strong. So, shout out to her for sure."

Of course, we will never know if Niewiadoma-Phinney would've been able to stay with Vollering on the climb or not if she had working gears. All that she can do now is move on to Sunday...

Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday

Niewiadoma-Phinney's attention has already turned to Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes on April 26, the final Ardennes Classic and a race whose longer, more selective climbs tend to suit her profile. When she was asked about how she feels looking towards the race, she seemed confident. "Yeah, definitely. I feel good," she said. "Hopefully on Sunday we show it even more."

The Polish champion has been consistent throughout the year with a fifth in GC at the UAE Tour, second in Omloop Nieuwsblad and Strade Bianche then 11th in Trofeo Binda. Her sprint was slightly stalled with a very unpleasant crash in Milan-San Remo. She bounced back well with a solid second place in Amstel Gold Race beating Vollering in a sprint before racing today.

Liège brings the biggest challenge so far in the race that, arguably, suits her attributes the best. She will be hoping that she can take that top step after so many podiums.

Cover image credit: Billy Ceusters

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Pro cycling contributor

Tim Bonville-Ginn is a freelance writer who has worked in cycling for well over a decade with his articles being featured across publications such as Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Cyclist, Rouleur, Eurosport, Road cc, Domestique, and more.

As well as writing, Tim has worked as a social media and press manager for professional teams Human Powered Health, Global 6, and Saint Piran across Europe as well as commentating on races such as the African Continental Championships, Tour de Feminin and multiple rounds of the British road and circuit series for Golazo and Monument Cycling.

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