When Kim Le Court outsprinted her rivals on Sunday to take a surprise victory at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, it brought a rollercoaster — and at times — unpredictable Spring Classics season to an end. It was a campaign that included victories for some serial winners like Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky but was closed out by three defining breakout performances at the Ardennes. Unlike the more predictable dominance seen in recent years, 2025’s Classics threw up surprises — we look back at the highs and lows of a spring that kept fans guessing until the very end.
AG Insurance - Soudal 8 / 10
The revelation of the spring, Kim Le Court single-handedly made AG Insurance - Soudal’s campaign a resounding success. The rider from Mauritius got better and better as the spring went on, excelling at the early Monuments by placing fifth at both Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders, before going on to claim a surprise and career-making win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, putting both her tiny nation, and her team, on the map.
Read more: Writing history: Why Kim Le Court’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège win is so important
Kim Le Court after winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday (Image: ASO / Thomas Maheux)
Canyon-SRAM 4 / 10
The high expectations brought about by Canyon-SRAM’s strong roster weren’t met, as Kasia Niewiadoma reverted back to being consistent (fourth at both the Tour of Flanders and La Flèche Wallonne) without winning, new signing Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig continued to lack form, and Chloe Dygert couldn’t manage a finish higher than sixth at Milan-Sanremo. Chiara Consonni came closest to delivering a win with podium spots at Classic Brugge-De Panne and Scheldeprijs, but Lorena Wiebes and Elisa Balsamo had the beating of her in the sprints.
Ceratizit 2 / 10
Diminished after several of their top performers from last year left, Ceratizit were mostly anonymous this spring, with ninth place for Mylène de Zoete at Classic Brugge-De Panne their only top ten in a WorldTour Classic.
FDJ-Suez 7 / 10
Still adjusting to their new status as home to one of the best riders in the world, a sole victory at Strade Bianche might not have quite been the return FDJ-Suez were hoping for with new marquee signing Demi Vollering, who suffered near misses at Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Flèche Wallonne, while also bungling the chase at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for what would likely have been a victory there. Still, it was impressive the way the team rallied around Vollering, with Juliette Labous especially commendable in sacrificing her flying form to ride in service of her.
Read more: ‘The competition is higher than ever’ - Demi Vollering wins Strade Bianche
Demi Vollering winning Strade Bianche in March (Image: Tornanti.cc)
Fenix-Deceuninck 7 / 10
Just when it seemed as though Puck Pieterse’s spring was going the same way as last year, with a series of impressively consistent high finishes but no wins, she stormed up the Mur de Huy to take victory at Flèche Wallonne. The young Dutchwoman was the team’s taliswoman, and her podium spots in all three of the Ardennes Classics the clear highlight of their spring, though Julie De Wilde also won GP Oetingen.
Read more: ‘I listened to my DS for a change’ - Perseverance has finally paid off for Puck Pieterse
Puck Pieterse after winning La Flèche Wallonne 2025 (Image: ASO / Thomas Maheux)
Human Powered Health 3 / 10
Things might have got a lot better for Human Powered Health had their new Classics specialist signing Thalita de Jong not broken her collarbone near the start of the campaign. In her absence, the best results came from Lily Williams (seventh at Gent-Wevelgem) and Kathrin Schweinberger (tenth at Classics Brugge-De Panne).
Lidl-Trek 6 / 10
In the wake of Elisa Longo Borghini’s departure, and with Shirin van Anrooij still not up to full fitness, Lidl-Trek weren’t the animating force of recent spring campaigns. Thankfully, they still had Elisa Balsamo on their books, and her lethal sprint finish ensured them victories at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Scheldeprijs, as well as podium spots at Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen and Classic-Brugge De Panne.
Elisa Balsamo at Milan-Sanremo 2025 (Image: Tornanti.cc)
Liv Alula Jayco 4 / 10
This year’s campaign brought plenty of results between fifth and tenth, but no victories for Liv Alula Jayco, who, in a spring which saw several smaller teams claim major Classics, still can’t quite make the leap. Mavi García’s and Letizia Paternoster's fifth-place finishes at Strade Bianche and Trofeo Alfredo Binda respectively were the highlights, while Georgia Baker was reliably up there in the sprinters' Classics.
Movistar 5 /10
Thanks to the combined force of new signing Marlen Reusser, who improved gradually to eventually finish sixth at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and Liane Lippert, whose third at the Tour of Flanders was their standout result, Movistar were a presence in the major Classics, but lacked the x-factor to win one. The performances of Cat Ferguson (most notably third at Trofeo Alfredo Binda) suggests she might be the rider to one day provide this, but at the age of 18-years-old is still raw.
Picnic PostNL 3 / 10
Despite a strong start, Pfeiffer Georgi failed to scale the heights of previous years, not managing to improve upon her seventh at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. That left the onus on Charlotte Kool to deliver results, but despite sprinting well enough to make the podium at both Gent-Wevelgem and Scheldeprijs, she didn’t manage to take a victory, leaving the team winless.
SD Worx-Protime 10 / 10
With Demi Vollering having left, and so many other teams bolstered by new talent, it seemed as though SD Worx-Protime would be up against it this spring, but the team were as prolific and cohesive as ever.
Lorena Wiebes was the star performer this time, reaching a new level to claim Milan-Sanremo, Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem during one incredible week at the end of March; world champion Lotte Kopecky rode a lighter program in anticipation of her new focus on stage racing, but still managed to win the Tour of Flanders, while their strength in depth was epitomised by Mischa Bredewold triumphing at the Amstel Gold Race.
Read more: Sprint Queen: Lorena Wiebes reaches career century milestone
Lorena Wiebes after winning Milan-Sanremo (Image: Tornanti.cc)
Visma-Lease a Bike 8 / 10
What a coup sealing the signature of Pauline Ferrand Prevot turned out to be for Visma-Lease a Bike. The Frenchwoman was one of the stars of the spring in her return to road racing, making the podium at both Strade Bianche and the Tour of Flanders before winning the big one, Paris-Roubaix. Her success took the pressure off usual taliswoman Marianne Vos, but the Dutchwoman nevertheless delivered a runner-up finish at Milan-Sanremo.
Read more: Mountains, mud, cobbles: There is nothing Pauline Ferrand-Prévot cannot do
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot winning Paris-Roubaix 2025 (Image: Zac Williams / SWpix.com)
Team UAE ADQ 6 / 10
The team was built around new signing Elisa Longo Borghini, who endured a rollercoaster campaign. After starting the spring in brilliant form, only just missing out on Milan-Sanremo with a late attack and triumphing at Dwars door Vlaanderen, a crash at the Tour of Flanders ruled her out of contention for both that race and Paris-Roubaix; then upon returning with similarly good legs to win De Brabantse Pijl, her form eluded her at Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Impressive performances from Lara Gillespie, Silvia Persico and Karlijn Swinkels ensured they weren’t overly reliant on the Italian.
Uno-X Mobility 5 / 10
By targeting the sprints, Uno-X Mobility were prominent throughout the spring. Linda Zanetti impressed to finish second at both the Nokere Koerse and Le Samyn bunch finishes, while Susanne Andersen ensured it wasn’t a spring of near misses by taking victory at Ronde de Mouscron They were less of a presence in the big Classics, though Maria Giulia Confalonieri did manage sixth at Paris-Roubaix.
