The race started on Maastricht's Markt, the city's central market square, and finished in Berg en Terblijt, covering 116.9 km. The route was made up of one bigger loop in the south of Limburg, followed by three 18 km loops centering around Valkenburg which featured the Geulhemmerberg, Bemelerberg and Cauberg climbs. In total, the route contained 17 categorized hills, usually short but with a varying gradient and coming in quick succession throughout the race.[1] The Cauberg, the most difficult and iconic passage, was addressed four times; once more than during the men's race. The fourth crossing of the Cauberg was also the last climb of the day. From the top, there was a 1.7 km run-in to the finish line in Berg en Terblijt.[3]
Teams
Twenty-two teams participated in the race. Each team had a maximum of six riders:[4]
