As it happened: A surprise late solo move takes the win in stage 3 of the Vuelta Femenina

2026-05-05T15:15:24.037Z

The chase is stretched out a real desperate pursuit, but the French rider could have this, she’s done it before.

2026-05-05T15:14:46.281Z

Ef Education Oatly made their move, Cedrine Kerbaol attacking and getting a gap. She can do this.

2026-05-05T15:13:23.157Z

Letizia Paternoster is being led out by her Liv-Alula-Jayco team mate as we bump along the cobbles.

2026-05-05T15:12:43.157Z

The race has reformed and around 25 riders are together as we enter the final 3km.

2026-05-05T15:11:56.195Z

Another attack from Visma, but we’re descending a wide road so it’s tough to make a difference. Mavi García leads. But not by a lot.

2026-05-05T15:10:42.827Z

Descending now and we’ll be on the cobbles soon. They were used in O Gran Camino recently and caused plenty of punctures.

2026-05-05T15:09:36.670Z

It looks like Kopecký and Kopecky are dropped, but Niewiadoma-Phinney is caught as another attacks goes, this time form Visma-Lease a Bike.

2026-05-05T15:08:11.552Z

There are about 30 women in the leading group as Niewiadoma-Phinneyy attacks again.

2026-05-05T15:07:27.873Z

Julia Kopecký lead for SD Worx now, can her namesake and team mate repay the Czech rider’s work?

2026-05-05T15:06:31.077Z

Still Faulkner dangles off the front but no, she’s caught, SD Worx controlling on yet another little rise.

2026-05-05T15:05:33.427Z

But FDJ have come to lend a hand and Faulkner is almost caught, though she’s not giving up.

2026-05-05T15:04:52.384Z

Faulkner is still out front, with a handful of seconds, SD Worx are still doing the work. The undulating terrain suits the Olympic champion perfectly.

2026-05-05T15:03:45.142Z

More riders are coming back now.
The final 6km are a roller coaster. Largely downhill, there are nine roundabouts, a short stretch of cobbles and a right turn at about 600m to go. From there it’s slightly uphill too!

2026-05-05T15:03:01.375Z

SD Worx head to the front en masse to bring the American rider to heel.

2026-05-05T15:01:44.309Z

And another attack, Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) attacks and gets a gap, Remember the Paris Olympics? Can she do that again?

2026-05-05T15:00:51.323Z

Overall leader Franziska Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ) is dropped, though other group is coming back to the leaders, including Koch and Lotte Kopecky.

2026-05-05T14:59:46.764Z

Amstel Gold Race winner, Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) lifts the pace, but nothing’s sticking and a group of about 25 are at a the front.

2026-05-05T14:58:29.109Z

More attacks from the leading group of about 12 riders, though riders are coming back.

2026-05-05T14:57:40.436Z

Attack on the climb from Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-Sram-zondacrypoto) the Polish champion is really stretching things out here.

2026-05-05T14:56:39.547Z

More riders dropped from the bunch as a furious pace is set on this climb. Wilson-Haffenden is one of them, slipping back after a tough day out and a great ride.

2026-05-05T14:55:33.473Z

We’re on yet another one of the small climbs now, the one which may prove a good attacking point and Wilson-Haffenden is caught.

Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Team Lidl – Trek) talks with Lidl-Trek sports director Jeroen Blijlevens during stage 2 of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T14:53:39.393Z

Wilson-Haffenden is within touching distance of the peloton now, the race is really on.

2026-05-05T14:52:12.493Z

And Wilson-Haffenden makes it through the sprint, winning 6 bonus seconds, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) takes 4 and Koch 2 seconds.

2026-05-05T14:51:05.881Z

The Australian rider should hang on for the sprint, though the peloton will be hot on her heels.

2026-05-05T14:50:33.228Z

Just a handful of seconds now for Wilson-Haffenden as she approaches the intermediate sprint in Arteixo.

2026-05-05T14:46:49.213Z

The pace in the bunch is such that some very decent riders have been dropped, the last descent and the ensuing climb causing some damage.

2026-05-05T14:45:28.673Z

Wilson-Haffenden’s lead is now only 1.12 as the peloton get ready for the intermediate sprint, where it seems the bunch may be eyeing the bonus seconds on offer.

2026-05-05T14:41:12.065Z

It’s not looking so good for Wilson-Haffenden now, her gap is down to only 1.20.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T14:36:15.637Z

Now the bunch lifts the pace, the FDJ team of race leader, Franziska Koch on the front, reducing the gap to 1.41.
Whatever happens this is a great ride from Wilson-Haffenden.

2026-05-05T14:34:19.912Z

Van Dam has done well in northern Spain before, taking 3rd overall at Itzulia Women after finishing second on the stage into San Sebastién last year.

2026-05-05T14:32:09.878Z

Visma-Lease a Bike have dual aims here, first to keep their GC leader, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot safe, but secondly to protect Sarah Van Dam, who could do very well here.

2026-05-05T14:26:42.951Z

We’re on another little climb now, and we’ll see the seas very soon, the race following the coast with the sea on their left.

2026-05-05T14:24:19.259Z

Wilson-Haffenden is nailing it now, a former Junior time trial World Champion, she’s also the current Australian TT champ.

2026-05-05T14:19:18.672Z

This is a great ride from Wilson-Haffenden. Vervloet is well and truly dropped now, while the Lidl-Trek rider has increased her lead to 2.15.

2026-05-05T14:17:53.318Z

We’ve already climbed around 1300 of the 2000m on today’s stage, it’s lumpy from here on in, no big climbs, but six of them making life difficult.

2026-05-05T14:14:04.816Z

The bunch is beginning to turn the screw once more, a variety of teams now on the front as Vervloet drifts off Wilson-Haffenden’s wheel and the gap slips below two minutes once more.

2026-05-05T14:09:30.750Z

An interesting change at the front of the peloton, with Liv-Alula-Jayco and Vini Fantini-Bepink leading the peloton alongside UAE Team ADQ.
The gap sits around the two minute mark.

2026-05-05T14:03:01.320Z

And now the gap has gone out again, it’s over two minutes, the peloton taking the chance to get rid of rain jackets, grab a bottle and the red jersey stop for a comfort break.

2026-05-05T14:00:41.376Z

There are a few climbs on the coast road. One in particular, with 15km to go, just after the intermediate sprint, could cause some issues, with short ramps of double digit gradients.
It’s a great place to attack, especially with that cross tail wind.

2026-05-05T13:55:04.566Z

Much of the road to the coast is downhill, so the pace is high but Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Lidl-Trek) and Sterre Vervloet (Lotto-Intermarché Ladies) are being reeled back in quickly now, their advantage is down to only 1.09.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T13:50:38.493Z

The wind is just about what it was at the start, about 16km/h from the north west, so it’ll be a decent cross tail wind when they hit the coast, this may well bring some action.

2026-05-05T13:47:51.885Z

We’re heading north now, towards the coast, reaching it 30km from the line. Then it’s basically east, along the coast.

2026-05-05T13:45:44.760Z

We’re more than halfway now and about to reach the highest point of today’s stage. It’s actually been almost all uphill from the start and we’re 502m above sea level.
Wilson-Haffenden and Vervloet lead by 1.53.

2026-05-05T13:39:23.577Z

Franziska Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ) is leading the race overall, though she’s yet to win stage, she was third on stage 1 and second on stage 2. What are the chances she keeps her red jersey with a win today?

Franziska Koch (FDJ United – SUEZ) wears the overall leader’s red jersey during stage 3 of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T13:33:52.125Z

The gap has settled, the peloton have brought the breakaway too within reach and they now sit at 2.30 in front. They’re not likely to win, but that’s the beauty of cycling, you never know.

2026-05-05T13:25:21.785Z

With no classified climb on the route today, we do have an intermediate sprint, though it’s not until 16.7km to go.
The brakaway’s advantage continues to drop, it’s now only 2.35.

2026-05-05T13:18:04.547Z

2026-05-05T13:05:12.876Z

But we could have another sprint on our hands. Yesterday’s was very dramatic, with Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) relegated for an irregular sprint.

2026-05-05T13:01:03.882Z

There are now two groups on the road, Wilson-Haffenden and Vervloet lead the peloton by 3.44, the race rolling at an average speed of about 36km/h.

2026-05-05T12:58:00.828Z

Wilson-Haffenden started the day 5.20 down on GC, while Vervloet was at 19.56, neither is a threat to the overall lead, will the bunch let them fight for the stage, or will the sprinters want another battle?

2026-05-05T12:54:54.091Z

And it’s all change.
Garua’s group have seven up the ghost, sat up and are heading back to the bunch.
Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Lidl-Trek) and Sterre Vervloet (Lotto-Intermarché Ladies) lead the peloton by 3.10.

2026-05-05T12:52:59.913Z

The two groups have been up the road a while now and still they’re separated, though the gap is coming down and they’re almost together. Garau is now the overall leader of the Vuelta on the road.

Marina Garau (Vini Fantini-BePink) leads a chasing group during stage 3 of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina 2026. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T12:44:28.909Z

It’s proving harder than they hoped for Gégu, Ragusa and Garau to reach the leading pair, they’ve slipped back very slightly.
Will they even get there?

2026-05-05T12:41:28.073Z

2026-05-05T12:33:36.266Z

The two groups are coming together now, it seems as though the leading pair are waiting for the chasers.

2026-05-05T12:29:20.885Z

But Garau’s group are not gaining time at the same pace as Wilson-Haffenden and Vervolet who are 2.15 ahead, while Gégu, Ragusa and Garau are only 1.33 in front of the peloton.

2026-05-05T12:27:34.520Z

Marina Garau is the best placed breakaway rider in the breakaway, trailing Koch’s overall lead by 2.13. She might well be the virtual leader on the road very soon.
Her Vini Fantini-Bepink team is the lowest ranked team in the race and the only third division, Continental squad.

2026-05-05T12:20:48.646Z

With 110km to go Wilson-Haffenden and Vervloet now lead the peloton by 1.35 with Gégu, Ragusa and Garau 35 seconds behind them.

2026-05-05T12:17:38.438Z

Wilson-Haffenden and Vervloet are 49 seconds ahead with Gégu, Ragusa and Garau 14 seconds behind them.
It seems the Mayenne team were looking for the breakaway today.

2026-05-05T12:03:22.522Z

We’re racing, with 121.2km ahead of us.

2026-05-05T12:02:27.140Z

Our race leader, Fransika Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ) and stage two winner Shari Bossuyt (AG Insurance-Soudal) before the roll out.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T11:58:24.253Z

There’s little change in the weather from previous stages, with a maximum temperature forecast at around 15º, some rain and winds up to around 18km/h from the north-west. That could cause some issues in the bunch as we run along the coast later.

2026-05-05T11:56:18.487Z

And we’re rolling for 4km of neutralised riding before the stage gets going proper.

2026-05-05T11:55:50.801Z

The organisers describe the day as flat, and admittedly there are no classified climbs, but…

2026-05-05T11:54:27.296Z

Riders are already heading to the start, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) doesn’t look too happy with the weather.

Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx-Protime) prior to stage 3 of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-05T11:52:16.589Z

Today’s stage is another tough one, with more than 2,000m of vertical ascent. We roll out from the town of Padrón at 14:00 Spanish time, and finish in A Coruña 121.2km later.

2026-05-05T11:45:52.775Z

It was a difficult day for EF Education-Oatly though.

2026-05-05T11:39:08.637Z

Yesterday was another gripping, enthralling day, with many a tale to being told.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of stage three of the Vuelta España Femenina.