La Vuelta Femenina stage 1 LIVE: Noemi Rüegg wins stage 1 in explosive uphill finish

Marianne Vos says she ‘landed in a ditch’ after being involved in the late crash that impacted the peloton, and forced her to have to chase back on – she was still able to finish seventh on the stage, an impressive result despite the circumstances.

2026-05-03T12:35:04.077Z

EF Education-Oatly’s Alice Towers spoke about the team’s need to change their plans during the race based on the way a number of riders were feeling. They delivered though, never far from the front of the race, it was a true team effort for the American team today.

2026-05-03T12:33:12.676Z

That was some effort from the Swiss rider. She has proven her grit and power a number of times in the past, but this was a clear statement of her abilities on this type of finish. She held off Kopecky with confidence, her victory never in doubt. She will be the first wearer of the red leader’s jersey.

Franzi Koch finishes third.

Lotte Kopecky launches her sprint in pursuit of Rüegg but the Swiss proves too powerful for the former world champion, surging towards the line and rewarding her team’s hard work with a brilliant stage victory.

2026-05-03T12:28:50.246Z

Koch and Rüegg lead the charge towards the finish line.

2026-05-03T12:28:35.143Z

Into the final 500 metres, SD Worx lead the charge, with Franzi Koch near the front for FDJ United SUEZ.

2026-05-03T12:28:04.864Z

The road rises and the effort takes its toll on the bunch, which stretches out as the gradient increases.

Movistar lead as the race passes the flamme rouge.

2026-05-03T12:27:18.680Z

Team SD Worx-ProTime are in control heading towards the final kilometre. Movistar are also in a prominent position.

A monster effort for Visma-Lease a Bike, who pick up a second support rider in Marion Bunel to pull Vos back to the front group, and with just under 2 kilometres remaining they make contact.

2026-05-03T12:25:26.137Z

A huge blow for Team Visma-Lease a Bike, who may have lost their opportunity to go for the stage win through Vos, as they make it back to the second group on the road, driving through the group with Lieke Nooijen piloting Vos.

2026-05-03T12:23:54.719Z

The lead group driven by FDJ are caught.

Behind, Marianne Vos is fighting to catch back on to the main group – she is riding through the cars to try and catch the bunch. She sits 23 seconds behind the front of the race.

The peloton behind has been split into two main groups, with the first of the two groups gaining ground on the leading five riders.

2026-05-03T12:20:30.558Z

Following a series of difficult, wet corners and bends, the race is split up, with a lead group including Juliette Berthet (FDJ United SUEZ) and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in a lead group of five, who could really seek to take advantage of the situation.

EF Education-Oatly lead the chase. Koch is also present in the lead group, which could see FDJ take a commanding lead in the race.

With 8 kilometres to go, a number of riders come into difficulty, with a few hitting the deck. Updates on who is affected as we have them.

The peloton navigates a tight hairpin bend and many riders come almost to a standstill at the back of the bunch – now things are stretched out in a long line, and those caught out of position will have a huge job on their hands to get back into contention.

2026-05-03T12:13:33.130Z

FDJ United SUEZ, EF Education-Oatly, Team SD Worx-ProTime, UAE Team ADQ and Visma-Lease a Bike are all lined up in formation at the front of the bunch, heading toward the final ten kilometres.

No-one is taking any risks at the moment, as the bunch creeps ever closer to the final of this first stage of the 2026 Vuelta Femenina.

2026-05-03T12:07:15.078Z

Tension mounts in the bunch as the women draw closer to the finish line in Salvaterra de Miño.

The group come back together again.

A small chase group including Realini and Faulkner have still not made it back to the main peloton.

Gaia Realini of Lidl-Trek is off the back of the bunch again in a second group that are chasing back to the main peloton.

2026-05-03T11:51:38.014Z

Around 5 kilometres remain to the day’s intermediate sprint. From there, the race will be high octane to the finish.

2026-05-03T11:48:20.262Z

FDJ SUEZ begin to put the pressure on at the front of the peloton, as the rain begins to fall again in Galicia.

The bunch navigates the final significant downhill section of the day safely, and as the road flattens out, the bunch is led towards the business end of the stage by Movistar, with Visma-Lease a Bike also prominent at the front of the bunch.

Two hours have elapsed in the stage, as the peloton winds its way towards the day’s intermediate sprint point, where the first action in the green jersey competition will unfold.

With around 20 kilometres to go to the intermediate sprint, it’s time to consider the contenders for today’s victory.

Marianne Vos is top of the list. She is a powerful sprinter and can handle uphill finishes, and she will be looking to pull on the red jersey, not for the first time in her dazzling career.

EF Education-Oatly currently ride at the head of the bunch, led by American national road race champion Kristen Faulkner. The American team will look to their Breton star Cédrine Kerbaol in the general classification race.

The tough pace on the climbs and the wet descent that followed has thinned out the bunch considerably.

Canyon//SRAM-zondacrypto, FDJ SUEZ and EF Education-Oatly are all visible at the front of the bunch, however some of the Lidl-Trek team, including their GC hope Gaia Realini, are briefly caught out at the back of the bunch. They chase back on successfully.

We have a battle on our hands for the QOM jersey – AG Insurance Soudal’s veteran climber Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio pips Maëva Squiban at the summit of the second and final categorised climb of the day – the two are tied on equal points in the QOM competition, so the decision on who will wear the polka dot jersey heading into day 2 will be decided on the finish line – whoever finishes first, will take the jersey.

1. Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal), 6 pts
2. Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ), 4 pts
3. Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), 2 pts
4. Valentina Cavallar (Team SD Wrox-Protime), 1 pt

The categorised climbing is over for the day – however there are still plenty of undulations to be tackled en route to the finish line.

2026-05-03T10:57:02.907Z

There are a range of top challengers for the GC at this year’s Vuelta Femenina, looking to succeed Demi Vollering and finish the week on the top step of the podium.

With the second of two climbs approaching, two-time Tour de France stage winner in 2025 Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) has set out her stall, attacking at the summit of the Ato do Cruceiro to take the maximum available points in the QOM competition. Here are the complete standings atop the climb.

1. Maëva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) 6pts
2. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (IG Insurance-Soudal) 4pts
3. Yuliia Biriukova (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) 2pts
4. Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) 1pt

The first hour of racing, and the first climb of the 2026 Vuelta Femenina, is complete.

A new attacker tries her luck on the descent from the climb – Yuliia Biriukova of Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi.

The peloton is complete as the race begins the first climb of the day, the Alto do Cruceiro. As yet, no breakaway attempt has been successful.

Who will make it to the top first and claim the first available QOM points?

The flag drops and the action is underway at the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina, with the first attacks flying off from the peloton.