La Vuelta Femenina penalties, fines and yellow cards

LOBIOS, SPAIN - MAY 04: A general view of the start of stage 2 of La Vuelta Femenina
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The 2026 Vuelta Femenina continued on Monday with a stage to San Cibrao das Viñas, won by Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) and continues until Saturday for a showdown on the Angliru to decide the first Grand Tour of the year.

Now, the race is obviously about one thing – the racing – but in stage races, there are also lots of chances for more negative rewards: penalties.

With hours of racing every day and some of the biggest fields of the year, the Grand Tours often see several penalties handed out, which are all listed in the race jury's communiqué after each stage.

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Yellow cards are no longer a new system, but as a reminder, they are handed out alongside penalties, and if you get more than one in the same race, you are disqualified and suspended for seven days. Three in 30 days equals a 14 day suspension, and six in a year means a 30-day suspension – though this hasn't happened to anyone yet.

La Vuelta Femenina 2026 penalties

Stage 1

  • None

Stage 2

  • Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-ProTime) - Irregular sprint, -18 in points classification, 200 CHF fine, yellow card and relegation to last place in her group (36th)
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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