ALTO DE COTOBELLO, Asturias, Spain (May 11, 2025) — As Mother’s Day dawned in Spain on May 4th, 2025, the streets of Barcelona buzzed with anticipation for the start of La Vuelta Femenina 25 by Carrefour.es. Few could have predicted the drama that would unfold over seven days of racing across the Spanish landscape, from the technical team time trial through Barcelona’s iconic streets to the grueling final ascent of Alto de Cotobello in Asturias.
This year’s edition would feature all the hallmarks of grand tour racing: strategic masterclasses, surprising breakaways, powerful sprints, and mountain showdowns that separated the contenders from the pretenders. But at its core, this year’s Vuelta told a story of champions—both new and returning—pushing their limits and redefining what’s possible in women’s cycling.
Stage 1: Lidl-Trek and Ellen van Dijk Triumph in Barcelona
The opening team time trial through Barcelona’s streets gave spectators their first glimpse of the tactical chess match that would define the week. The 8.1-kilometer course starting at the iconic Casa Milà would provide minimal time gaps but maximum tension as teams sought to position their leaders favorably for the stages ahead.
Lotto Ladies was first off the start ramp at 12:51 CEST, setting an initial benchmark of 10’07” that was quickly bettered by Cofidis with 9’57”. As the afternoon progressed, Picnic-PostNL raised the bar significantly with their 9’39” effort, a time that stood until Liv-AlUla-Jayco knocked six seconds off with 9’33”.
With pre-race favorites EF Education-Oatly and Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto failing to best the Australian team’s time, it fell to Lidl-Trek to make the difference. The American squad, anchored by three-time individual time trial world champion Ellen van Dijk, stopped the clock just three seconds faster than Liv-AlUla-Jayco, claiming the day’s victory and putting van Dijk in La Roja, the race leader’s red jersey.
The final two teams to start—Anna van der Breggen’s SD Worx-Protime and Demi Vollering’s FDJ-Suez—came tantalizingly close, finishing just three and six seconds behind Lidl-Trek respectively. FDJ-Suez’s effort was hampered when powerhouse Vittoria Guazzini crashed at the course’s turning point in front of the former royal palace in Pedralbes.
“Of course it was really hard, but we trained a lot for this, also in the winter,” explained Riejanne Markus of Lidl-Trek. “It’s 10 minutes of racing full gas, so it always hurts, but it was really nice.”
The tight margins between teams meant that the general classification remained compact, with the top ten teams separated by just 20 seconds—a situation that Markus acknowledged: “From a GC perspective, it is important to start off like this. I wish this team time trial had been longer, because then it could have really made differences in the GC. Now everyone is within 10 seconds, so there are no big gaps.”
For van Dijk, wearing La Roja held special significance following her crash in last year’s Vuelta: “I know it is Mother’s Day in Spain, but in the Netherlands it is next week! I’ll be home for Mother’s Day in the Netherlands, so I have two Mother’s Days this year.” She added, “I see it as an honor because this particular leader jersey is not my jersey, but a team’s jersey. I’m honored that they want me to wear it.”
Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto’s Justyna Czapla, who claimed the best young rider jersey, credited teammate Chloé Dygert’s contribution: “She is a really strong TT rider. We were happy to have her in the squad. She was very important for us today as she took long, hard turns that enabled us to recover on her wheel.”
With no overall favorite falling out of contention on day one, the race was perfectly poised heading into the more selective stages ahead.
Stage 2: Vos Bosses the Sprint as Paternoster Takes La Roja
The second day of racing brought the peloton 99 kilometers from Molins de Rei to Sant Boi de Llobregat on a route featuring the category 2 Alt de la Creu de l’Aragall early in the stage. Heavy rain and slippery roads added an element of danger that would ultimately reshape the general classification.
As the flag dropped, the bunch immediately began climbing the insidious Alt de la Creu de l’Aragall. While no breakaway managed to establish itself on the ascent, Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi’s Ane Santesteban seized the opportunity to secure mountain points, cresting the climb first to become the initial leader of the mountains classification.
It wasn’t until kilometer 22 that Elena Cecchini (SD Worx-Protime) launched the day’s first significant attack, building a solo advantage of 50 seconds. With no collaborators willing to bridge across, Cecchini was reabsorbed by the peloton after approximately 13 kilometers of freedom. Her efforts weren’t in vain, however, as she claimed the Combativity award for the day.
“Why did I attack? Well, it wasn’t on the plan,” Cecchini explained post-stage. “I was hoping that somebody would jump on my wheel. Then I found myself alone in the lead, and I decided it was too long before the finish to keep going. It’s nice to race like this every now and then—I had fun.”
As heavy rain began falling, the peloton approached the intermediate sprint at kilometer 58.5, which was taken by Visma | Lease a Bike’s Marianne Vos. A brief attack by Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Ladies) followed but was quickly neutralized as the wet conditions increased tension in the bunch.
The long descent to Gavà at kilometer 90.2 proved decisive, not for crashes but for the splits it created. The peloton stretched under pressure, and several groups lost contact—crucially including one containing race leader Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek), who would be forced to relinquish La Roja by day’s end.
In the final kilometers, Visma | Lease a Bike orchestrated a textbook leadout with Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Imogen Wolff positioning Marianne Vos perfectly for the uphill sprint in Sant Boi de Llobregat. The Dutch legend powered to victory, claiming her fifth career stage win at La Vuelta Femenina and confirming her status as the event’s most successful rider.
“It’s really good to win—especially, when all the team put their effort in as they have done all season,” said Vos. “After what happened yesterday, we wanted to put all our energy into today’s stage. We just all committed to it. I’m happy I could finish it off.”
Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) finished second, securing six bonus seconds that, combined with van Dijk’s time loss, elevated her to the overall lead. The Italian was clearly emotional about unexpectedly claiming La Roja: “Being in the leader jersey feels amazing. I’m a little bit emotional. I’m happy for me and for the team because all the people I have around really deserve this.”
Paternoster revealed that La Vuelta wasn’t originally in her planning: “It was not in the plan to participate in La Vuelta Femenina, but then in the Ardennes my team and I decided that it was a good idea to come here. I said before the start that I wanted to enjoy the race and do my best.”
New mountains classification leader Ane Santesteban highlighted the importance of her achievement for both herself and Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi: “These last few weeks have been rough both for me and for my team. Things were not going our way, and this is why I was looking forward to attaining today’s goals. We all needed it—we had to give our 110% for this prize!”
As the peloton dried off and recovered, the general classification had been completely reshuffled, with Paternoster now holding a narrow lead and all to play for in the coming days.
Stage 3: Perfect, Unexpected Day for Femke Gerritse and SD Worx
The third stage presented 132.4 rolling kilometers between Barbastro and Huesca, with crosswinds posing the greatest threat to the peloton. Just two seconds behind overall leader Letizia Paternoster, SD Worx-Protime’s Femke Gerritse started the day with La Roja firmly in her sights—though few, including Gerritse herself, could have predicted how perfectly events would unfold for the Dutch rider and her team.
Three riders did not start: Chloé Dygert (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto), Georgia Baker (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), and Laura Lizette Sander (Team Coop-Repsol), all sidelined by illness. Soon after the flag dropped, a five-rider breakaway formed, comprising Maaike Coljé (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Marion Borras (Cofidis), Magdalene Lind (Coop-Repsol), Marina Garau (Bepink-Imatra-Bongioanni), and Ariana Gilabert (Eneicat-CM Team).
Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Ladies) attempted to bridge across but was eventually reabsorbed by the peloton after nearly 30 minutes of solo chasing. Meanwhile, the five-woman breakaway built a maximum advantage of 3’15” by kilometer 40, with the peloton showing little urgency in the chase.
The dynamics changed dramatically around kilometer 95 when Coljé accelerated at the front, dropping both Gilabert and Borras from the breakaway as the peloton increased its pace approaching the intermediate sprint. The three remaining escapees were caught at kilometer 99, setting up a fascinating contest at the intermediate sprint in Tramaced (kilometer 101.6).
It was here that Femke Gerritse made her first decisive move of the day, outsprinting both Marianne Vos and race leader Letizia Paternoster to claim six bonus seconds that propelled her to the top of the virtual general classification.
“I took the bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint and I felt ‘ok, my sprint is good,'” Gerritse recalled. “Beating Marianne [Vos] there gave me and my team a lot of confidence.”
From the right-hand turn in Grañén (kilometer 108) to the finish, the peloton faced challenging crosswinds that threatened to split the race apart. Several teams found themselves in difficulty, with Lidl-Trek scrambling to save both sprinter Anna Henderson and GC contender Riejanne Markus after they were momentarily dropped. AG Insurance-Soudal faced a similar crisis with their leader Ashleigh Moolman.
The resulting selection reduced the peloton to approximately 60 riders for the final. Despite a crash near the back of the group inside the final three kilometers, SD Worx-Protime executed a perfect leadout to position Gerritse for the sprint.
“The final was chaotic, but I just stayed calm,” Gerritse explained. “In the end, I had the perfect leadout, and I’m really grateful to my team. We took the lead with two kilometers to go, and Anna [van der Breggen] and Mischa [Bredewold] were so amazing!”
Gerritse powered to victory ahead of Vos and Uno-X’s Linda Zanetti, completing what she described as a “perfect day” by claiming both the stage win and La Roja. “It’s my first WorldTour win and my first Grand Tour stage win. I don’t even know what to say, it’s just so crazy!”
For Maaike Coljé, winner of the day’s Combativity award, the stage represented a rare opportunity for personal recognition: “I always try to show myself in the break, but I also work a lot for my teammates and that is not always seen. To get a personal reward for once is nice.”
With Gerritse now leading the general classification with a 12-second advantage over Vos and Paternoster, the race was set to enter more challenging terrain the following day.
Stage 4: Anna van der Breggen Is Back—For Real!
The fourth stage from Pedrola to Borja stretched 111.6 kilometers across rolling terrain that would finally offer the climbers their first opportunity to test their legs. What unfolded was a masterclass in tactical racing that culminated in a triumphant return to the winner’s circle for one of cycling’s most decorated champions.
Five riders did not take the start: Greta Marturano (UAE Team ADQ), Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Deceuninck), Mona Mitterwallner (Human Powered Health), Laura Tomasi (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), and Laura Asencio (Arkéa-B&B Hotels). Those who did face the starter found themselves immediately thrust into a relentless series of attacks during the first 40 kilometers, with several breakaway attempts—including one featuring AG Insurance-Soudal’s Justine Ghekiere—failing to establish a sustainable gap.
The first significant climb, the Alto del Moncayo (Category 2, kilometer 58.5), saw Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) launch an attack that was quickly neutralized. Ghekiere crested the summit first, unseating Ane Santesteban as leader of the QOM classification.
Despite continuous attacking, the peloton remained largely intact at the intermediate sprint in Novallas (kilometer 81.3), where SD Worx-Protime again delivered a strong leadout for race leader Femke Gerritse. The Dutch rider secured maximum bonus seconds while FDJ-Suez’s Demi Vollering claimed four seconds to bolster her general classification prospects.
Julie Van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal) attempted to break clear shortly after but was brought back as the bunch prepared for the decisive climb, the Puerto de El Buste (Category 3, kilometer 99).
Valentina Cavallar (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) initiated hostilities on the final ascent, immediately putting pressure on the peloton and reducing the front group to approximately 40 riders. Movistar Team then took control with Cat Ferguson, Mareille Meijering, and finally Liane Lippert progressively ramping up the pace.
By the summit, only 17 riders remained in contention, with race leader Gerritse distanced. Évita Muzic (FDJ-Suez) crossed the peak first to claim the mountains classification lead and positioned teammate Demi Vollering for an attack that ultimately proved unsuccessful.
As the reduced group descended toward the finish, multiple riders launched attacks before Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) made the decisive move in the outskirts of the Santuario de la Misericordia with approximately 7 kilometers remaining.
“I didn’t expect this, as it was not the team’s plan,” van der Breggen revealed post-stage. “I found myself at the front in the descent. The speed was down and I found it was a good moment to attack and go solo.”
The Dutch veteran, who had returned to professional racing just months earlier after retiring in 2021, showcased her tactical acumen by establishing an insurmountable gap. Behind, Muzic worked frantically to bring her back for Vollering, but to no avail.
Van der Breggen crossed the line victorious, securing her first win since returning to the peloton and marking an emotional moment in her storied career. Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) rounded out the podium, finishing second and third, respectively.
“It’s fantastic to have Anna back in the bunch,” Vos said admiringly. “A rider like her is a fantastic addition for the racing itself. I am not surprised to see her win again, and it’s so good.”
Meanwhile, race leader Gerritse had mounted a determined chase after being dropped on the final climb. With assistance from teammate Mischa Bredewold, she managed to rejoin the main group just in time to retain La Roja—though clearly at her limit.
“The last climb was ridden at a pretty hard pace, and I got dropped just near the summit,” Gerritse admitted. “Luckily, I had a great teammate in Mischa [Bredewold] to help me bridge back with the front group. I was so on the limit…”
For van der Breggen, the victory represented a significant milestone in her comeback journey: “This victory is so nice. Yesterday was such a good day already, as we could see Femke win and get some confidence that she can beat a great sprinter like Marianne [Vos]. Things are going really well for us.”
Évita Muzic, who had moved into the mountains classification lead, remained optimistic despite her team’s inability to reel in van der Breggen: “The mountain jersey didn’t really come by chance, because it was hard to be the first one on the last climb! But yeah, I had some points, so we were thinking that, if I was there, I could grab it. It was the goal to be the first at the top of the last climb, so I did my best.”
With Gerritse maintaining her overall lead but the mountains looming in the coming stages, the general classification battle was about to intensify dramatically.
Stage 5: Demi Vollering Back in Red
The fifth stage delivered the first true high-mountain test of La Vuelta Femenina 25, with the 120.4-kilometer route from Golmayo culminating in the fearsome ascent to Lagunas de Neila. It was here that defending champion Demi Vollering would emphatically announce her return to the race lead with a display of climbing prowess that left her rivals in no doubt about her intentions.
The peloton set off with 132 riders, after illness claimed both Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Audrey De Keersmaeker (Lotto Ladies). Cofidis’ Spela Kern added to the day’s casualties, crashing during the neutralized zone.
Following a flurry of early attacks, a four-rider breakaway finally established itself at kilometer 36, comprising Maike Van der Duin (Canyon//SRAM), Julia Börgstrom (AG Insurance-Soudal), Arianna Fidanza (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), and Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Ladies). The quartet built a maximum advantage of 3’22” by kilometer 57.
Lidl-Trek and FDJ-Suez assumed responsibility for the chase, systematically reducing the escapees’ advantage to just one minute by the intermediate sprint at Quintanar de la Sierra (kilometer 87.6). Van der Duin crossed the line first, after which Börgstrom accelerated with Fidanza on her wheel, dropping both Van der Duin and Teutenberg.
The newly formed duo’s freedom proved short-lived, however, as FDJ-Suez’s relentless pursuit reabsorbed them by kilometer 93. Ally Wollaston and Évita Muzic then set a fierce tempo for FDJ-Suez up the Alto del Rozavientos (Category 2, kilometer 98.5), which was crested first by Niahm Fisher Black (Lidl-Trek) at the head of a severely reduced peloton containing just 15 favorites.
Following a slight lull on the descent to the final climb, Mareille Meijering (Movistar Team) launched an opportunistic attack with 11 kilometers remaining. Rather than chasing immediately, FDJ-Suez’s Muzic maintained a steady tempo before compatriot Juliette Labous took over with 4 kilometers to go, launching a couple of accelerations that eventually neutralized Meijering’s move.
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) briefly attempted to seize control, but it was Vollering who delivered the decisive blow with a devastating attack 3 kilometers from the summit. Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) briefly tried to follow but quickly realized the futility of the effort as Vollering powered away with remarkable ease.
“I’m very happy I won the stage, and very happy with the work we did as a team,” Vollering said afterward. “The previous days have been a bit difficult, as someone close to me is going through a really hard time mentally. This victory is for all the people who struggle with their mental health.”
The defending champion crossed the line alone to claim both the stage victory and La Roja as the new overall leader, unseating Femke Gerritse. Reusser finished second to move onto the provisional general classification podium alongside Anna van der Breggen.
“My team was really strong today,” Vollering continued. “We were really focused on both the win and the GC, so I’m very happy that it worked out. Everybody did their job perfectly and I’m really grateful for all their hard work.”
For Reusser, the result represented an impressive return to form: “It doesn’t matter ahead of who—if it is an old teammate, if it’s my old DS or if it’s my old trainer. I just want to win,” Vollering explained when asked about racing against former teammates. “I was really focused on my own effort and my own pacing. At one moment I felt the group had slowed down a bit, and I thought it was the moment to attack. Actually, it was a slight surprise that I was immediately alone.”
Vollering also expressed admiration for Reusser’s performance: “Marlen was very strong as well, I’m really happy to see her back on this level. I think it means a lot to her, and it’s cool to see. I’m really happy for Marlen.”
With significant time gaps now established in the general classification and just two stages remaining, Vollering had positioned herself perfectly to defend her title. However, with a rolling stage and one final mountain test still to come, her rivals weren’t ready to concede just yet.
Stage 6: Marianne Vos Lives Up to Visma’s Impressive Work in Baltanás
What was expected to be the least dramatic day of racing turned into an unexpectedly aggressive and constantly evolving battle over 126.7 kilometers from Becerril de Campos to Baltanás. The rolling terrain provided the perfect platform for attacks, with the scenario changing repeatedly before ultimately concluding with the anticipated sprint finish.
The peloton set off with 128 riders after Minke Solbjork Anderson (Uno-X Mobility) and Stine Dale (Coop-Repsol) did not start. From the outset, aggressive racing characterized the day, with numerous attacks neutralizing each other until kilometer 46, when a powerful 19-rider breakaway finally established itself.
This formidable group included Vittoria Guazzini and Marie Le Net (FDJ-Suez), Elena Cecchini and Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime), Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek), Letizia Borghesi and Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), Anastasiya Kolesava (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto), Jeanne Korevaar (Liv-AlUla-Jayco), Millie Couzens (Fenix-Deceuninck), Femke de Vries and Marion Bunel (Visma | Lease a Bike), Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility), Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal), Romy Kasper (Human Powered Health), Pfeiffer Georgi and Franziska Koch (Picnic-PostNL), Daniela Campos (Eneicat-CM Team), and Anna Van Wersch (Lotto Ladies).
With such firepower up the road, the escapees quickly built a maximum advantage of 1’15” by kilometer 65. However, several teams with interests in the stage combined forces behind, eventually reeling in the breakaway after 35 kilometers of freedom.
The constant reshuffling continued at kilometer 84 when three riders—Sarah Roy (EF Education-Oatly), Nicole Steigenga (AG Insurance-Soudal), and Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Ladies)—broke clear. Four additional riders—Nikola Noskova (Cofidis), Andrea Casagranda (Bepink-Imatra-Bongioanni), Andrea Alzate (Eneicat-CM Team), and Titia Ryo (Arkéa-B&B Hotels)—set off in pursuit as the peloton temporarily eased its chase.
At the intermediate sprint in Tabanera de Cerrato (kilometer 104.5), Steigenga crossed first with the leading trio enjoying a 48-second gap over the chasers and 1’09” over the main field. It was at this point that Visma | Lease a Bike committed fully to the chase, rapidly closing the gap to the chasing group with 21 kilometers remaining and then neutralizing the leaders with 13 kilometers to go.
The exact moment the catch was made, Liane Lippert (Movistar Team) launched a powerful attack on an uphill section, forcing Marianne Vos herself to lead the pursuit with overall leader Demi Vollering and Anna van der Breggen also vigilant. A second acceleration from Lippert briefly created a dangerous move containing Vos and Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime), but this too was brought back with 9.5 kilometers to the finish.
As the reduced peloton of approximately 60 riders approached the finish in Baltanás, Visma | Lease a Bike again demonstrated their commitment to Vos, with Imogen Wolff providing a perfect leadout. In the final sprint, Vos narrowly edged out Bredewold to claim her second stage victory of the race and mathematically secure the green points jersey.
“I’m very happy… and also exhausted, to be honest,” Vos admitted after the finish. “We knew, as a team, that today it was a chance for us. The first one of course takes you the pressure off, but today we wanted to go all out, and we did.”
The Dutch legend detailed the challenging finale: “It was a fast run in with the downhill, and every team wanted to lead out its sprinter. It was pretty tough to stay in contention already in the last few hills, but anyway I was in a really good position coming into the finish. As in the previous sprint stage, Imogen Wolff did a really good job at leading me out into the final corner. Then Mischa Bredewold opened her sprint, and in the last 150m we were just out of breath. It was very close, and I’m happy I could take the victory.”
For race leader Demi Vollering, navigating the chaotic finish unscathed was the primary objective: “Today was a bit of a crazy final. It was really stressful, with this last downhill and still a big bunch at the finish because the stage was mostly flat. I’m happy I made it to the finish inside the front group and that I managed to stay upright despite finding a crash in front of me in the last right-hand turn—it was a bit scary!”
With one stage remaining—the grueling mountain test to Alto de Cotobello—Vollering maintained her overall lead and was already mentally preparing for the final challenge: “It will be a really hard stage and I am looking forward to it. We will see on the road how the race will unfold. A breakaway will probably want to go up the road and we will try to control the race, hoping for another stage victory. In any case, keeping the red jersey will be our priority.”
Stage 7: Vollering Extends Her Reign at La Vuelta Femenina 25 by Carrefour.es
The final day of La Vuelta Femenina 25 promised to be the most demanding of the entire race—152.6 kilometers from La Robla to the summit of Alto de Cotobello featuring three significant climbs on the back half of the route. Cold, wet conditions only added to the challenge of what was already the hardest stage in the event’s history, with 2,724 meters of elevation gain.
Of the 125 riders who took the start, Linda Zanetti (Human Powered Health), Magdalene Lind (Coop-Repsol), and Arianna Fidanza (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) were absent. Many more would abandon as the punishing combination of weather and terrain took its toll.
The racing was aggressive from the outset, with numerous splits and attacks characterizing the first half of the stage. Finally, at kilometer 54, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto) established a solo lead, with teammate Justyna Czapla, Silvia Zanardi (Human Powered Health), and Femke de Vries (Visma | Lease a Bike) forming a chasing group behind. Elisa Valtulini (Bepink-Imatra-Bongioanni) rode alone between this group and the peloton.
On the first categorized climb of the day, the Alto de la Colladona (Category 2, kilometer 86), De Vries bridged to Skalniak-Sójka while the chasing riders were absorbed by the peloton. At the summit, the leading duo held a 2’12” advantage over the main field, which was being driven by FDJ-Suez’s Évita Muzic.
Skalniak-Sójka led through the intermediate sprint at San Martín del Rey Aurelio (kilometer 104.6), but as the road tilted upward again toward the Alto de la Colladiella (Category 1, kilometer 113.8), their advantage had dwindled to 1’15”. De Vries attacked solo and crested the summit with a slender 15-second gap over a drastically reduced favorites group, which had been whittled down to just 20 riders by accelerations from several riders, including a particularly strong effort from Anna van der Breggen.
De Vries’s brave solo effort was neutralized on the descent, with 35 kilometers remaining. Almost immediately, Mavi García (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) and Muzic countered, quickly establishing a gap that grew to 1’28” with 20 kilometers to race.
As the road began rising toward the fearsome 10.3-kilometer final climb to Alto de Cotobello (Category 1, kilometer 152.6—designated as the Cima Estela Domínguez), García and Muzic’s advantage had been reduced to 42 seconds by a 40-rider peloton led by SD Worx-Protime.
Once Mischa Bredewold completed her stint of pace-setting with 9 kilometers remaining, Anna van der Breggen herself took control in a remarkable display of selfless teamwork. The Dutch veteran set a ferocious tempo that systematically eliminated riders from the contenders’ group until only Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez), Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team), and Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) remained with her.
“Why did I pull so much time during the final climb?” van der Breggen explained afterward. “Well, I just wanted to make the race hard, and the team wanted to be at the front for as long as possible. We tried, and I actually felt kind of good.”
As the finish line approached, race leader Vollering launched her first acceleration with 1.5 kilometers to go, testing her rivals but not creating a decisive gap. Her second attack, with 800 meters remaining, proved unanswerable. The Dutch champion surged clear to claim a dominant stage victory and emphatically secure the overall title.
“It’s really cool to win this race for the second time in a row,” Vollering said in the post-race interview. “I also wanted this stage victory in Cotobello. I decided to wait for as long as possible to launch my attack. It was hard to wait, but I’m happy that I won the way I did.”
Behind, Reusser outsprinted van der Breggen for second place, cementing her runner-up position in the final general classification ahead of van der Breggen, who completed the podium.
“I’m super happy. What else can I say!” an elated Reusser exclaimed. “I think we did a really good week of racing with the team. I think we played a main part in the unfolding of the race.”
For Reusser, the result carried special significance considering her struggles the previous year: “One year ago, I was in such a bad state, and now I’m second in the Vuelta. Achieving this after this period is incredible and super special. I really enjoyed racing the whole week.”
Van der Breggen, despite being unable to follow Vollering’s final acceleration, found satisfaction in her performance: “I think I came closer to victory than in the last mountain stage. It was a good day and everything went according to plan. I was just trying to take my own pace, the faster that was possible.”
Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL), who secured the white jersey as best young rider, reflected on her achievement: “It’s very special. I didn’t expect to finish as the best young rider because, to be honest, I didn’t feel great this week. Today was the first day that I finally found my good legs again, and I’m really happy with that. I think I like cold weather, as I normally do well in the cold and rainy weather. I also thrive when it has been a hard race and we’ve done multiple stages – I just start feeling better and better. That was key – and also keeping the fight on, because the last day of the race always is a mental struggle. This week I’ve learnt I must never give up and that having a team is really important to get a good result.”
For Vollering, the victory confirmed the success of her transition to FDJ-Suez. “I’m really proud of what we achieved here with the team. It was nice to see us succeed like we did. It’s a bit scary to come into a Grand Tour with a new team because you don’t know how it will go. In this stage race, we found each other well on the bike and proved we can work really well together.”
With Vollering already looking ahead to future targets, particularly the Tour de France Femmes, this dominant performance at La Vuelta Femenina 25 by Carrefour.es serves notice to her rivals that the Dutch champion remains the rider to beat in women’s stage racing.
“It’s a good sign for what’s coming later in the year, during the Tour de France for example,” Vollering concluded. “I think we also found some small details we can still improve. That’s always good to know. We just need to keep believing. If you manage to land these results already during the learning process, then it’s a good sign.”
La Vuelta Femenina 25 by Carrefour.es: Final Standings
General Classification (GC)
-
- Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
- Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team)
- Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Points Classification
-
- Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Mountains Classification
-
- Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Young Rider Classification
-
- Nienke Vinke (Picnic-PostNL)
Teams Classification
-
- FDJ-Suez
