'Huge step' – The French just got another proven Grand Tour contender to cheer for after Marion Bunel snares La Vuelta Femenina podium place

Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) may have claimed centre stage at La Vuelta Femenina with her victory on debut at the Spanish tour but she certainly wasn't the only rider that announced her arrival as a formidable GC force at the event, with 21-year-old Marion Bunel (Visma-Lease a Bike) breaking through to the podium.

The French talent had entered the race in the shadow of 2025 Tour de France Femmes winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, but as soon as the final key days of climbing began Bunel quickly proved that this time she was the French Visma-Lease a Bike rider that rivals would have to work hard to keep pace with.

Third on stage 6 also moved her up to third overall but stage 7 was the big test and it was one that Bunel passed with flying colours.

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“Our priority all day was to keep Marion in a good position," said teammate Sarah Van Dam in a Visma-Lease a Bike release. "We really formed a sort of bubble around her. I think we did that very well, after which she did the hard work with her magical legs.”

At the base of the race ending HC rated L'Angliru, Bunel could be seen near the front of the severely depleted peloton tucked behind two teammates, Maude Oudeman and Ferrand-Prévot, though with a number of other riders from the squad still in the group, including Van Dam.

By 8km to go on the 12.4km climb at an average of 9.7% – with sections in the last half peaking at 24% – the teammates shad tarted drifting away and by 6km to go it was all down to Bunel in the six rider select group. At nearly 4km to go Bunel put on the pressure, accelerating away from her rivals and putting the red-jersey clad Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) into difficulty.

Blasi and Petra Stiasny (Human Powered Health) however managed to pull back and pass the French rider, while Juliette Berthet (FDJ United-Suez) caught her on the very final stretch, but crossing the line in fourth was more than enough to keep Bunel on the overall podium and at the top of the youth classification.

"It was an incredibly hard day, but I’m happy I didn’t blow up,” said the rider who made the step up to the WorldTour team in 2025 and in that first year clearly signalled her potential with a third overall at the 2.1 ranked Volta a Catalunya and second at the U23 event of the Tour de l'Avenir.

A top three spot in Spain, however, was proof of her ability to perform at the very top level.

“It’s unbelievable that I’m standing on the podium," said Bunel. "It’s a huge step for me. I want to keep learning and take those lessons with me. With this team around me, I feel I’m in the right place to do that. Now I just want to keep improving myself, without limits."