Vuelta España Femenina 2026

La Vuelta Femenina 2026 results

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Stage 5: Mischa Bredewold leads Lotte Kopecky across the line as SD Worx-Protime repeats with one-two finish / As it happened

Mischa Bredewold and race leader Lotte Kopecky blasted across the uphill conclusion to stage 5 in a one-two finish for SD Worx-Protime. Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) took third in what was a tricky sprint on wet roads in Antas de Ulla. With bonus seconds, Kopecky added to her GC lead, however, SD Worx landed a blow as Anna van der Breggen, who had been fourth overall, was involved in a big crash inside the final 2.5km of the race.

Stage 4: Lotte Kopecky wins hectic stage 4 sprint and uses bonus points to claim red leader's jersey / As it happened

SD Worx-Protime teammates Lotte Kopecky and Anna van der Breggen went one-two in the sprint on stage 4 of the Vuelta Femenina on Wednesday. After a pair of runner-up finishes in the three opening days, Kopecky finally scored the sprint victory she was seeking, and along with it passed Franzi Koch (FDJ United-Suez) for the GC lead.

Stage 3: Solo raid nets victory on stage 3 for Cedrine Kerbaol / As it happened

One day after losing her teammate Noemi Rüegg to a crash and broken shoulder, Cedrine Kerbaol parlayed a late attack into a second stage win for EF Education-Oatly. Race leader Franzi Koch (FDJ United-Suez) managed to hold onto the drastically reduced peloton to retain the red jersey.

Stage 2: Shari Bossuyt wins a dramatic stage 2 sprint as Franziska Koch takes the overall lead / As it happened

Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) won stage 2 of the Vuelta Femenina in a reduced bunch sprint, crossing the line ahead of Franziska Koch and Évita Muzic (both FDJ United-Suez).

Stage 1 winner and overnight leader Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) suffered a crash 13km from the finish and had to abandon the race, so Koch takes over the GC lead and the red jersey.

Stage 1: Noemi Rüegg storms uphill sprint to beat Kopecky and Koch for first leader's jersey / How it happened

Swiss champion Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) delivered a searing acceleration in the final 175 metres and won stage 1 of the Vuelta Femenina. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) finished second on the uphill charge and Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) took third. Rain and technical descents created havoc in the peloton across the 113.9km ride from Marín to Salvaterra de Miño, which now has Rüegg in the first red leader's jersey of the Grand Tour.

La Vuelta Femenina 2026 information

The fourth edition of the modern La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es will take place from May 3-9, 2026. Organisers revealed the route as one of the most challenging in the event's existence, this year tackling back-to-back summit finishes at Les Praeres. Nava and the famed Alto de l'Angliru.

The Spanish stage race has become the de facto third Grand Tour on the women's WorldTour calendar.

Last year, La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es was a seven-day stage race, while the previous eight editions of the event were known as the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta and held at the end of the season in September. The 2026 race will consist of seven stages.

Demi Vollering won the race for a second time in 2025, this time for the FDJ-SUEZ team. She dominated the final mountain stage to Lagunas de Neila, winning alone with an attack and so securing her overall race lead. Marlen Reusser (Movistar) finished second, at 1:01 back. Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) was third overall at 1:16.

Join Cyclingnews for coverage of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina, and check in after each stage for our full report, results, gallery, news and features.

La Vuelta Femenina history

The race started in 2015 as a one-day event, won by US sprinter Shelley Olds. The race was added to the Women's WorldTour the following year, where Jolien D'hoore won back-to-back editions in 2016 and 2017.

Expanding to a two-day race in 2018, Ellen van Dijk, then racing for Team Sunweb, claimed the overall title largely due to a commanding opening team time trial. Lisa Brennauer went on to win consecutive titles in 2019 as a two-day race and in 2020 when the race moved into a three-day format.

Annemiek van Vleuten then took three consecutive titles. At the 2021 race, she dominated the individual time trial and the mountain stage to secure overall victory. In 2022, the Movistar rider attacked on the Fuente las Varas, the penultimate climb of stage 2, and jumped into a lead she would carry to the conclusion on stage 5 in Madrid.

In 2023, the seven-day race presented the riders with a challenging and mountainous event, where Van Vleuten claimed the overall title by just nine seconds over Demi Vollering after a thrilling battle for the red jersey.

In 2024, racing for SD Worx-ProTime, Vollering captured two stage victories en route to claiming the overall title. On the final stage, she had enough of a lead to high-five fans near the finish and lift her bike in celebration after crossing the line. Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike) finished second overall, 1:49 in arrears, while Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) was third.

Check out the full list of champions from 2015 to 2025.

La Vuelta Femenina 2026 Route

The organisers of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es have revealed one of the toughest routes in its 12-year history with a double-header finale in the Asturias mountains that will showcase summit finishes atop Les Praeres. Nava and the famed Alto de l'Angliru.

This year's race, which will take place from May 3 to May 9, will be held in Galicia. The 819.5km route will include four hilly stages, one flat stage and two mountain stages.

Check out the stage profiles on our route page.

La Vuelta Femenina schedule

La Vuelta Femenina start list