The 33-year-old has been in the mix before at the historical La Flèche Wallonne, finishing in fifth place in 2018 after leading the way onto the famed final climb of the Mur de Huy.
Spratt is coming off a fourth-place finish at Amstel Gold, where she was just behind the best when they accelerated on the final ascent of the Cauberg.
“I think we can take a lot of confidence into Flèche Wallone after the team performance at Amstel Gold Race," said Spratt. "It’s clear that the team has prepared really well for this block of racing and I think both Flèche and Liege will suit our strengths even better.
"That gives me a lot of motivation when we can ride together like this. I know the form is good and I think it’s a race where we can use our strengths, be aggressive and create some good opportunities.
"My best result has been fifth here, it’s such a brutal finish and you just have to be able to embrace the hellish pain for the final kilometre. There is no easy option. I’m ready to suffer and see what I can do.”
In a race that is often won or lost in the final 200 metres, the Australian rider will have a strong squad supporting her, with the team gelling more and more with each race they tackle, with former 11th place finisher Lucy Kennedy, Spanish climber Ane Santesteban and New Zealand champion Georgia Williams all expected to be prominent. Powerful Dutch duo Moniek Tenniglo and Janneke Ensing round out the talented six-rider team.
For 2021, the 126.5km course is slightly different with a modified run-in to the finishing laps around Huy, but the race retains the traditional final lap and two ascents of the infamous ‘wall,’ the Mur de Huy, with sections reaching 26%.
Alejandro Gonzales-Tablas, Team BikeExchange sport director laid out the challenges and the tactics for the Belgian classic.
“It is a slightly different course this year, we have a different lead-in into the local course, the Mur de Huy, so that is completely new," said Gonzalo-Tablas. "It is a bit harder than it used to be and that will definitely change how the race goes.
"We want an aggressive race like in Amstel Gold Race. Spratt has shown she has good form, and it is a climb that suits her, the Mur de Huy, so she will be protected.
"Compared to Amstel the only change we have is Grace Brown is out, she will have a break now after her busy Classics campaign and Moniek Tenniglo comes in to support the team.”
Sarah Gigante will be the only other Australian competing in the race for her TIBCO-SVB squad, the 20-year-old has been active in her first season of prolonged racing in Europe and the steep slopes of the final climb will be right up her alley if she can navigate the previous 126 kilometres.
Watch all the action from La Fleche Wallonne women's race from 1905 AEST with the men's race starting at 2100 AEST.
