With a couple of hundred meters left by Mur de Huy, a 1.3 km long final hill with up to 26 percent ascent, the Polish Kasia challenged Niewiadoma but van der Breggen was able to counter the victory and raise his arms in a victory gesture after the finish line on the 128 meters high hill in the Belgian town of Huy after 130 km of cycling.
- It was very tough.
It is usually a fight against the "wall" but today it was hard from the beginning.
But I had a good team and we could fix it.
I'm so happy I could win for the team.
This was probably my most difficult victory in the race because it was so difficult to get control after some tactical mistakes.
It was a tough fight with Kaisa, she was strong, but I could win, says van der Breggen.
Has an Olympic gold to defend in Tokyo
She got a perfect finish in the Walloon arrow and this summer has an Olympic gold to defend in the line race.
- It's a strange feeling that I'm sitting here for the last time.
Next year I'm not here but another girl will win.
It is quite incredible to be able to win seven years in a row, van der Breggen thinks.
The starting field was of the toughest competition, worthy of a World Cup or Olympics.
- It is world-class de luxe to win a competition of this nature seven years in a row, says Eurosport's commentator Roberto Vacchi.
Annemiek van Fleuten made an attack uphill from the cluster with eleven kilometers left to catch up with leading American Ruth Winder who had a half minute lead.
There were then some counter-attacks from the cluster of about ten skiers.
It caught up with Winder halfway up the dreaded Mur de Huy hill.