La Vuelta Femenina stage 2: A Chaotic Race with a Surprising Leader
The second stage of La Vuelta Femenina 2026 was a chaotic affair, with several riders attempting to break away from the peloton. The race was marked by a steady start, with no moves to form a break, and a sudden change in pace when Lidl-Trek came to the front, catching a few riders off guard and causing a split in the bunch.
The race then headed onto the Alto do Vieiro, an uncategorised climb that is 11.2km long with kickers of over 10%. This was a chance for a break to go, but the peloton were having none of it. The riders were travelling over a mix of dry and wet roads with lots of mud on the grassy verges, which could be washed onto the road and cause a hazard.
The race was very stop-start, with several riders trying to form a break but the peloton were not letting them get away. The pace in the peloton suddenly changed again when a new move got a small gap on the peloton, with five riders going clear: Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Premier Tech), Andrea Casagranda (Vini Fantini-Bepink), Julie van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal), Marieke Meert (Lotto-Intermarché), and Léa Rondel (Mayenne-Monbana-Mypie).
The gap expanded to 30 seconds, and the five riders were working well together. The race was now over a minute for the leaders, and the gap was now 48 seconds. The race was 60km to go, and the riders were travelling at an average speed of 33.5kph.
The race was very cagey, with no-one willing to let a breakaway form. The counter moves only achieved to drag the race back together again. More riders were trying to bridge to the leading duo, but the race was still very stop-start.
The race was very chaotic, with several riders trying to form a break but the peloton were not letting them get away. The pace in the peloton suddenly changed again when Lidl-Trek came to the front, catching a few riders off guard and causing a split in the bunch.
The race was very stop-start, with several riders trying to form a break but the peloton were not letting them get away. The pace in the peloton suddenly changed again when a new move got a small gap on the peloton, with five riders going clear: Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Premier Tech), Andrea Casagranda (Vini Fantini-Bepink), Julie van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal), Marieke Meert (Lotto-Intermarché), and Léa Rondel (Mayenne-Monbana-Mypie).
The gap expanded to 30 seconds, and the five riders were working well together. The race was now over a minute for the leaders, and the gap was now 48 seconds. The race was 60km to go, and the riders were travelling at an average speed of 33.5kph.
The race was very cagey, with no-one willing to let a breakaway form. The counter moves only achieved to drag the race back together again. More riders were trying to bridge to the leading duo, but the race was still very stop-start.
The race was very chaotic, with several riders trying to form a break but the peloton were not letting them get away. The pace in the peloton suddenly changed again when Lidl-Trek came to the front, catching a few riders off guard and causing a split in the bunch.
The race was very stop-start, with several riders trying to form a break but the peloton were not letting them get away. The pace in the peloton suddenly changed again when a new move got a small gap on the peloton, with five riders going clear: Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Premier Tech), Andrea Casagranda (Vini Fantini-Bepink), Julie van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal), Marieke Meert (Lotto-Intermarché), and Léa Rondel (Mayenne-Monbana-Mypie).
The gap expanded to 30 seconds, and the five riders were working well together. The race was now over a minute for the leaders, and the gap was now 48 seconds. The race was 60km to go, and the riders were travelling at an average speed of 33.5kph.
The race was very cagey, with no-one willing to let a breakaway form. The counter moves only achieved to drag the race back together again. More riders were trying to bridge to the leading duo, but the race was still very stop-start.
The race was very chaotic, with several riders trying to form a break but the peloton were not letting them get away. The pace in the peloton suddenly changed again when Lidl-Trek came to the front, catching a few riders off guard and causing a split in the bunch.
