La Vuelta Femenina abandons – 102 riders finish the race atop the Alto de L'Angliru

ASTORGA, SPAIN - MAY 07: Maeva Squiban of France and UAE Team ADQ competes during the 12th La Vuelta Femenina 2026, Stage 5 a 119.6km stage from Leon to Astorga / #UCIWWT / on May 07, 2026 in Astorga, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
Maëva Squiban of UAE Team ADQ crashed on stage 6 and was not able to finish (Image credit: Getty Images)

126 riders started La Vuelta Femenina 2026, and 102 of them made it to the finish of the first Grand Tour of the year atop the Alto de L'Angliru.

This year, the first rider to abandon was Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto-Intermarché). It is unclear what happened to the German, but her withdrawal was announced over the race radio with around 35km to go on the stage, soon after a snaking descent.

The Lotto-Intermarché team have not provided an update on Teutenberg's abandon. There were no further withdrawals on stage 1, with 125 riders crossing the finish line.

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Then, race leader Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) crashed with 12km to go and abandoned the race. Ella Wyllie (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) also dropped out on the stage.

By Friday's sixth stage and one day to go, the field of 126 was down to 112. Two riders did not start on the mountainous ride to the summit of Les Praeres – Marthe Goossens (AG Insurance-Soudal) and Natalie Qjuinn (Mayenne-Monbana-Mypie). Goossens crashed on stage 5, with a wound on her elbow requiring stitches.

Four riders were not able to finish the full 106.5km for stage 6 – Elisabeth Ebras (Lotto-Intermarche), Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) and two UAE Team ADQ riders.

Maëva Squiban crashed with just under 40km to go on the stage. Though she attempted to continue, after moving ahead another 2km she got off her bike and ended her Grand Tour. Her teammate, Greta Marturano, who crashed on stage 3 and suffered an abrasion to her chin and bruising on her right arm, also abandoned the race on Friday.

La Vuelta Femenina 2026 abandons

Stage 1

  • Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto-Intermarché) – DNF, no reason given as yet

Stage 2

  • Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) – DNS, fractured collarbone
  • Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-EasyPost) – DNF, crash injuries
  • Ella Wyllie (Liv AlUla Jayco) – DNF
  • Alice Arzuffi (Laboral Kutxa_Fundación Euskadi) – DNF
  • Sara Casasola (Fenix-Premier Tech) – DNF

Stage 3

  • Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic PostNL) – DNS, crash on stage 2
  • Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek) – DNS

Stage 4

  • None

Stage 5

  • None

Stage 6

  • Marthe Goossens (AG Insurance-Soudal) - DNS, crash stage 5/ elbow stitches
  • Natalie Quinn (Mayenne-Monbana-Mypie) - DNS
  • Elisabeth Ebras (Lotto-Intermarche) -DNF
  • Neve Bradbury (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) - DNF
  • Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) - DNF
  • Greta Marturano (UAE Team ADQ) - DNF

Stage 7

  • Marie Le Net (FDJ United-SUEZ) - DNS
  • Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-SRAM Zondacrypto) - DNF
  • Maria Martins (Canyon-SRAM Zondacrypto) - DNF
  • Marit Raaijmakers (Human Powered Health) - DNF
  • Nora Jenčušová (Vini Fantini-Bepink) - DNF
  • Delfina Dibella (Vini Fantini-Bepink) - DNF
  • Sara Martín (Movistar) - DNF
  • Arlenis Sierra (Movistar) - DNF
  • Léa Rondel (Mayenne Monbana My Pie) - DNF
  • Henrietta Christie (EF Education-Oatly) - DNF

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Assistant Features Editor

Matilda is an NCTJ-qualified journalist based in the UK who joined Cyclingnews in March 2025. Prior to that, she worked as the Racing News Editor at GCN, and extensively as a freelancer contributing to Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Velo, Rouleur, Escape Collective, Red Bull and more. She has reported on the ground at all of the biggest events on the calendar, including the men's and women's Tours de France, the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a Espana, the Spring Classics and the World Championships. She has particular experience and expertise in women's cycling, and women's sport in general. She is a graduate of modern languages and sports journalism.

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