Dutch phenom Marianne Vos outgunned her challengers on the painfully steep slopes of the Mur de Huy to take a repeat win at the Flèche Wallonne women’s World Cup.

Vos scaled the brutal kilometer-long pitch the fastest, dropping Marta Bastionelli (Italian National), Judith Arndt (High Road) and three-time winner Nicole Cooke (Great Britain) near the summit to take the fourth World Cup round of 2008.

The victory was reminiscent of her 2007 victory, which saw Vos ride a tiring Cooke up the 25 percent pitch, then sprint to victory in the closing meters.

“I was expecting to see this — [Vos] is so strong,” said Arndt, winner of the women’s Tour of Flanders on April 6. “We don’t have a chance against her.”

The win continues a season of success for the young Dutchwoman, who claimed the UCI world title in the points race at the 2008 track world championships on March 29 in Manchester, England. That win earned Vos the distinction of becoming the first elite cyclist to earn world titles in three cycling disciplines. Vos took the road race world title and cyclocross world title in 2006.

The women’s field took to the 103.5km course beneath sunny skies in downtown Huy, Belgium’s gateway to the Ardennes region on the banks of the river Huy. In its 11th edition, the Flèche Wallonne women’s race covers the same climb-heavy final loop as the men’s event.

The front of the women’s field stayed together through the first half of the race. Fabiana Luperini broke free early, forcing the Cervelo-Lifeforce team to the front to reel in the surging Italian. The day’s first major aggression happened on the Cote de Bohissau, a 3.4km climb coming roughly 30km from the finish that averages 4 percent. American Amber Neben (Flexpoint) went away with reigning world champ Bastionelli, Noemi Cantele (Bigla) and Cooke. The presence of such talent in the attack awakened the peloton, which fought to bring the four back.

With more attacks coming on the slopes of the Cote de Ahin, a 2.4km climb just 10km from the finish, the women’s field was whittled down to 30 riders. With Brit Emma Pooley driving the pace to set up her teammate Cooke, and Australian rider Oenone Wood looking to set up Arndt, the group sprinted toward the base of the Mur in downtown Huy.

That’s when the group shattered as riders threw themselves at the steep hill. Vos and Arndt separated themselves from the group with 400 meters remaining, but Vos took over with 200 meters to go. A surging Basionelli slipped by the fading German to finish second. Canadian Alex Wrubleski also made a late surge, crossing the line gasping in fourth place, just ahead of Neben. Pooley crossed the line in sixth place with Cooke fading to a disappointing eighth.

“This is a climb where if you have the legs you win and if you don’t, you lose,” Neben said. “It’s a real sprinter’s climb because of the steepness.”

With her win Vos took the lead in the 2008 women’s World Cup rankings with 152 points, bumping former leader Susanne De Goede (Nurnburger) into second place with 133.