Capturing victory at all the Ardennes Classics – Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège – in one season is a rare feat that has only been accomplished by four riders in history: Davide Rebellin in 2004, Philippe Gilbert in 2011, Anna van der Breggen in 2017 and now Demi Vollering, who added her name to the prestigious list on Sunday.
"[Liège-Bastogne-Liège] was the most difficult of the three. Especially because I put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve this unique series," Vollering said after out-sprinting Elisa Longo Borghini to take the victory in Liège.
Vollering has spoken several times during the stretch of Ardennes Classics about how much her nerves have taken a toll on her, at times feeling nauseous and barely able to eat during the races, partly due to the pressure to perform and the priority placed on this block of the season.
She has also attributed much of her success this week to the help of her powerful team SD Worx, and her teammates, who have kept her calm and protected during each of the three races.
"In Liege, I definitely had the feeling that everyone wanted to gear the race to me. It's a situation I sometimes had problems with last year, but which I have made steps in," she said.
"Of course, it does help to have this team behind me. All the girls rode super strong and also expressed full confidence in me. Then you want to get the win for them as well."
Vollering began her Ardennes Classic journey in promising form after winning Strade Bianche, Dwars door Vlaanderen, and she finished with a pair of second places at the Tour of Flanders and Brabantse Pijl.
Having been seventh in 2019 and runner-up in 2021 and 2022, she finally added Amstel Gold Race to her list of victories last Sunday, where she made her winning attack on the decisive Cauberg and soloed to the win in Berg en Terblijt, the only round of the series held in her home country, the Netherlands.
Vollering's versatility as a rider was on display at Flèche Wallonne, where she surged over the Côte de Cherave and then proved the strongest rider on the Mur de Huy, this time taking the victory at the race where she finished third in both 2020 and 2022.
No stranger to Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Vollering won the race in 2021 after a remarkable lead out from now-retired Anna van der Breggen. She knew exactly how difficult the race would be, particularly the final ascents of the Côte de la Redoute, Côte des Forges and Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons.
But there was no stopping Vollering, who bridged across to a late-race breakaway of teammate Marlen Reusser and Longo Borghini and beat the Italian in the two-up sprint to the line.
"Last night, I hardly slept because I was quite nervous about this race. I really wanted to win today because I knew this was a unique opportunity to achieve the hat trick in the three hill classics. You don't get the chance to do that every year," Vollering said, acknowledging the untimely bad luck for Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates).
Pogačar was the overwhelming favourite to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège and was aiming to complete the Ardennes Classics triple, too, after winning Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne earlier in the week. However, he abandoned the men's race at Liège-Bastogne-Liège after being caught up in a crash, his team later confirmed that he fractured his wrist and is undergoing immediate surgery in Genk.
"I wanted this so badly...," Vollering said. "Look, now, at Tadej Pogačar, who, after his wins in the Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne, was knocked out early in Liège by a crash. I definitely realise that I put in a special performance."
Vollering is only the second woman to complete the Ardennes Classics triple after Anna van der Breggen won all three races . The Dutchwoman, who retired from professional racing at the end of 2021, won Amstel Gold Race in 2017, Flèche Wallonne a record seven times between 2015-2021, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2017 and 2018.
The three races are steeped in history in men's professional racing, with the first edition of Flèche Wallonne dating back to 1936, Amstel Gold Race beginning in 1966, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège the oldest with its first edition back in 1892.
In women's racing, Flèche Wallonne is the oldest of the three races and celebrated its 26th edition on the women's calendar this year. The Ardennes Classics triple, however, was only possible in 2017 when Amstel Gold Race returned to the women's calendar after a 14-year hiatus, and the women's edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège made its debut.
Van der Breggen, who delivered the triple on that first opportunity in 2017, was in the team vehicle guiding Vollering at her wins at Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and did so again at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In her experience, she said, directing a team at races where she has already accomplished much success in her career has more impact.
"Advice comes across better anyway when you have won a race several times," Van der Breggen said. "When you really believe someone can win and you explain how to do it, it makes a difference."
