The next generation of stage racers and GC challengers – Young and rising riders to watch at La Vuelta Femenina

It's very nearly time for the first women's Grand Tour of the year and the start of stage racing season. We've already had a ton of exciting racing through the Spring Classics, and some thrilling breakthrough performances, but as we swap cobbles for mountains, there are opportunities for new types of riders to shine.

For several seasons, women's stage racing has been dominated by a small crop of riders – Demi Vollering, Marlen Reusser, Elisa Longo Borghini – but below the big names, there is a new and talented generation of riders coming up.

This will be one of the first generations of female cyclists who have turned pro in the post-Tour de France Femmes world, where being a full time cyclist is now a viable, paying career choice, and the racing and performance is improving rapidly.

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We're yet to see a new generation rider really explode onto the Grand Tour scene – though young riders have certainly made their mark in the Classics and other races – but it's only a matter of time until a new name, or names, joins the upper echelon of stage racers in the women's peloton. That could be as a new GC challenger, a pure climber, or just a rider who excels in multi-day racing.

There's plenty of stage racing to come this season, but next week's Vuelta Femenina should offer the first chance for these future stars to lay down their intentions and talents for 2026. With the race getting underway on Sunday, here are some riders we've picked out as ones to watch in Spain.

Usoa Ostolaza (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi)

Spain's Usoa Ostolaza is a rider who has quietly been becoming one of the very best GC riders and climbers on the lower-level circuit, but is yet to quite break through on the WorldTour level. So whilst dedicated women's cycling fans will absolutely already know her talent and ability, she's not yet on everyone's radar – a big result at the Vuelta Femenina would change that.

Ostolaza, 28, is a former Spanish national champion who has been racing since 2021 but has really skyrocketed in the last few years. Her climbing credentials are already extremely impressive, with wins atop the Col d'Aubisque and Col du Soulor on her way to back to back Tour des Pyrénées titles, and she's finished just outside the top 10 of both the Vuelta and the Giro d'Italia Women before.

This year, she looks primed to crack that top 10, and even win a stage. Still a ProTeam, Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi have taken a big step up this year in terms of performance, meaning Ostolaza will come to this race with her strongest support squad yet. What's more, the lack of top stars like Vollering and Reusser is set to leave the race very open, and therefore the perfect opportunity for a rider like Ostolaza to grab the big result she's very clearly capable of.

Valentina Cavallar (SD Worx-Protime)

Valentina Cavallar's off-season transfer to SD Worx-Protime has started quietly, as she's only raced once so far in 2026, at last week's Flèche Wallonne, but she'll be back into her preferred terrain at the Vuelta next week. Like Ostolaza, Cavallar is a rider who has already proven her climbing ability, but is just waiting for that big, high profile result or win.

More of a pure climber, lightweight riders like Cavallar don't always translate to also being top GC riders, given all the other challenges in stage races, but the route of this Vuelta is climb heavy and will come down to the final weekend of mountains, rather than being influenced by a TT or flat stages. As a result, a rider like Cavallar has a real opportunity to shine, whether that's on her own or in support of teammate Anna van der Breggen.

It may have been a quiet start to life at SD Worx, but she's one of their riders for the future, and her career as a top rider starts here.

Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ)

It may be pushing it to call Paula Blasi an up and coming rider, given she just won Amstel Gold Race and then impressed in the rest of the Ardennes too, but it's going to be really exciting to see how her clearly strong form translates in a stage race – somewhere she's shown a lot of promise before.

It was slightly overshadowed by the GPS trackers debacle, but Blasi took her first WorldTour win last year in the opening uphill time trial of the Tour de Romandie, and she is definitely a potential GC rider.

Still only 23, Blasi has hit a sparkling run of form this year, kicking off with third at the Tour Down Under and following up top-fives in all three Ardennes Classics. Of course, the climbs of the Vuelta are a big step up from the Ardennes hills, but her sixth place at the Tour de l'Avenir shows she's strong in the mountains too.

Blasi will share leadership with Mavi Garcia in Spain, and if things keep clicking for UAE Team ADQ the way they have recently, both riders could be in for some big success.

Sarah Van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike)

Like Blasi, Sarah Van Dam has arguably already made her mark on the peloton this spring, but she has a chance to show how her one-day ability – which earnt her seventh in Amstel and 13th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège among other great results – can translate over a stage race.

With riders like Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Marianne Vos in the Visma line-up, Van Dam might have to fight for opportunities, but if she gets a chance on one of the breakaway-friendly stages, she could secure a big result. She certainly has GC contender potential too, already fifth in the Tour Down Under this year.

Titia Ryo (Human Powered Health)

France's Titia Ryo was the second-best young rider at the Tour de France Femmes last summer, but is still flying under the radar in the peloton as a climber.

She'll line up as part of a varied Human Powered Health team seeking opportunities in Spain, and could definitely take an opportunity to show off her climbing, and indeed maybe chase the young rider's jersey here, too.

Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset (Uno-X Mobility)

Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset is one of the older riders on this list at 27, but some riders find their best form later in life, and that seems like it could be the case for her.

The Norwegian stepped up from Continental level to the WorldTour only this year, after clearly impressing Uno-X on the lower-level circuit, and she's taken to the elite peloton really well. She was challenging for top 10s in the Mallorca Challenge, then took 15th at Strade Bianche, and 17th at Liege, noticeably one of the new names mixing in with the established climbers on several occasions this season.

A Grand Tour will be another challenge – she's done the Vuelta and the Tour before – but her climbing ability is really strong and she could place herself on a lot of people's radars here.

Other riders to watch

Visma are bringing a stacked team so it might be hard to grab opportunities, but both climber Marion Bunel and rouleur Imogen Wolff will be motivated to chase rewards where they see them.

At the time of writing, it's not clear if Eleonora Ciabocco (Picnic PostNL) will be back in action after her Trofeo Alfredo Binda crash, but if she is, the UAE Tour top 10 finisher started the year really strong and is growing into a serious contender.

Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi's line-up is packed full of exciting riders. As well as Ostoloza, keep an eye on Idoia Eraso and Tiril Jørgensen.

Mayenne Monbana My Pie will be challenged in a Grand Tour, but look out for Justine Gegu and Alice Coutinho who have been strong for the French team.

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