Ast it happened: Italian National Champion goes for broke in hilly finale of Tour de Suisse Women stage 2

2026-06-18T10:44:04.451Z

And talking of tomorrow, what does tomorrow’s stage hold?
Essentially the Tour de Suisse Women stage 3 has bunch sprint written all over it. 120.8 kilometres and starting and finishing in Bad Ragaz, there’s just one classified climb, the short but steep Cat. 3 Kobelwald (1.3 k at 8.3%) at km 50, and it shouldn’t prove too difficult for the peloton to regroup.

2026-06-18T10:41:29.328Z

And now some words from the winner and new race leader Elisa Longo Borghin (UAE Team ADQ):

“I felt ok [in the last kilometres], I didn’t understand why Kasia (Niewiadoma) was not working with me but then I saw she was suffering a bit and I wanted to try something.”

“And then I just found myself with a gap and I went for it. It was all or nothing. I just went straight to the finish line.”

“I’m super happy to have won here, as I don’t live too far from this place. My family was here.”

“Tomorrow we’ll think about tomorrow. I just want to enjoy the yellow for now.”

2026-06-18T10:34:39.965Z

“I thought I could keep the yellow jersey,” she continues, “but I was not strong enough today.”

2026-06-18T10:34:06.816Z

2026-06-18T10:31:45.776Z

For Longo Borghini, winning the final stage of the Giro d’Italia then getting the second of the Tour de Suisse, this was part 2 (so far) of a tremendous comeback after a spring blighted by illness.

2026-06-18T10:30:10.460Z

Probably what will be the most talked about moment, though, of the stage, will be how Reusser and Niewiadoma missed a turn and went straight on at a lefthand bend in the closing kilometres, leaving Van Dam as sole chaser of Longo Borghini. It didn’t affect the stage win or new lead, but the gaps will have widened considerably more than they wanted on GC as a result.

2026-06-18T10:27:47.369Z

Stage 1 winner and race leader Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike) finished 22nd, 2:15 down, after a brave struggle. She could follow initially but then as Niewiadoma and then Longo Borghini pushed on hard, it proved too much.

2026-06-18T10:17:55.375Z

Overall Longo Borghini’s move has had a serious impact, with Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ) still in second but now 27 seconds back, while Sarah Van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike) is in third at 34 seconds.

2026-06-18T10:15:56.612Z

And Longo Borghini has 15 seconds on Van Dam

2026-06-18T10:02:08.427Z

Longo Borghini was 48 seconds down on GC, but that gap will evaporate in this breakaway.

2026-06-18T10:01:20.786Z

That leaves Van Dam as a sole chaser on Longo Borghini as Niewiadoma and Reusser try to get back to the course.

Reusser and Niewiadoma have gone the wrong way!

2026-06-18T10:00:17.737Z

Longo Borghini is relentless, though, the Italian National Champion knows that this is a great opportunity for a double triumph.

2026-06-18T09:59:16.053Z

Italian National Champion Longo Borghini is giving it everything now and opens her margin to 19 seconds. Reusser doing a lot of the chasing.

Elisa Longo Borghini retains her advantage of 16 seconds. She could get the stage and the lead.

2026-06-18T09:56:23.307Z

The three chasers are Van Dam, clearly recovered from that lockup earlier on the climb, Niewiadoma and Reusser.

2026-06-18T09:55:36.904Z

Over the summit of the second Cat.3 and Longo Borghini is maintaining the gap on a small group of chasers.

2026-06-18T09:54:41.808Z

De Vries, incidentally, is now over a minute back on Longo Borghini. She’ll likely be out of the lead after today’s stage.

2026-06-18T09:54:00.284Z

Niewiadoma has been caught, meanwhile, by chaser Reusser as Longo Borghini quickly opens up a gap of nearly 17 seconds.

Longo Borghini goes on the attack on the second climb

2026-06-18T09:51:10.849Z

Onto the fast descent and Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini still have an advantage.

2026-06-18T09:50:14.117Z

Then Van Dam locks up on a corner, allowing Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini to gain a few more metres

2026-06-18T09:47:18.942Z

An attack by Niewiadoma and Longo Borghini and De Vries has not been able to respond

2026-06-18T09:45:07.822Z

Just five riders on the front now: Niewiadoma, De Vries, Longo Borghini, Reusser and crucially for De Vries, her teammate Sarah Van Dam.

2026-06-18T09:43:11.429Z

De Vries is resisting well for now, Longo Borghini in third place. Dickson, second overall, is reportedly struggling.

2026-06-18T09:42:36.863Z

But now it’s Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon SRAM) who’s making a pronounced acceleration.

2026-06-18T09:41:32.670Z

Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) are piling on the pressure on the climb.

2026-06-18T09:39:18.659Z

Less than 20 riders in the front group now.

2026-06-18T09:38:58.066Z

EF Education-Oatly and Movistar doing a lot of the work, but De Vries is hovering on the left-hand side and looking good.

2026-06-18T09:38:16.250Z

The peloton is fracturing completely on the first of these climbs.

2026-06-18T09:37:54.849Z

And then straight after it’s the Via Consiglio Mezzano ( 1.4km, 9%) and then a fast descent to the finish

2026-06-18T09:37:10.572Z

This is the Fanghi (3.5km, 7%)

2026-06-18T09:36:44.583Z

Riders getting dropped at the back as we move onto the first and easier Cat.3 climbs of the two.

The two riders ahead, for the last 51 kilometres Carlotta Cipressi (Human Powered Health), Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek), have been caught with 19 kilometres to go.

2026-06-18T09:33:39.147Z

A shot of the main peloton as they bear down on the two breakaways.

2026 Tour de Suisse Women: the bunch bearing down on the break late on (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-06-18T09:31:15.883Z

Third sprint of the day at Cugnaso: Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek) gets the first place, undisputed by Cipressi. The bunch don’t fight for the remaining bonus second, picked up by Minke Anderson (EF Education-Oatly).

And the gap drops to under a minute for the first time in 35 kilometres

2026-06-18T09:22:39.734Z

Talbot is caught

2026-06-18T09:21:08.488Z

Meanwhile, breakaway duo Carlotta Cipressi (Human Powered Health), Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek) plough on determinedly. 1:39 the gap on the bunch with 26 kilometres to go.

2026-06-18T09:19:33.108Z

Talbot’s lone effort doesn’t look to be paying off. Just 20 seconds between the Australian and the bunch now.

2026-06-18T09:18:56.259Z

Just 500 metres of vertical climbing remain of a day’s total of 1,248 metres incidentally, but they are the two Cat.3 climbs that will likely decide the stage, so they’re the ones that count the most.

2026-06-18T09:15:19.310Z

Here’s a first shot of Talbot

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-06-18T09:12:00.811Z

Talbot is also 18:27 down on GC so definitely not a threat to De Vries.

Km 82.5: Sprint: Cugnaso

Km 91.9: Climb: Fanghi (Cat.3, 3.5km, 7%)

Km 97.2: Climb: Via Consiglio Mezzano (Cat.3, 1.4km, 9%)

Km 105.6 Finish: Locarno

2026-06-18T09:06:27.919Z

Talbot’s now reach the half-way point between the bunch and the break. She has a gap of 45 seconds on the two ahead, Carlotta Cipressi (Human Powered Health), Margot Vanpachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek), who have 1:30 on the main peloton.

2026-06-18T09:04:35.693Z

There’s a lone counter-attacker, Josie Talbot (Liv AIUa Jayco), the bunch is easing back again, making it easier for the Australian to bridge across.

Yet more counter-attacks going

2026-06-18T09:01:06.836Z

Second yesterday, that reduces Dickson’s gap on the race leader on GC to just two seconds.

2026-06-18T08:59:47.091Z

The battle for the sprints has produced some large counter-attacks, but nothing sticking for now.

2026-06-18T08:58:53.376Z

The remaining second on offer at the Tissot sprints was much more disputed, with Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ) picking up the third place on both occasions.

2026-06-18T08:55:03.197Z

And Vanpachtenbeke takes the second sprint as well: 2:22 the gap

2026-06-18T08:53:55.864Z

Vanpachtenbeke takes the first sprint of the day ahead of Cipressi without too much difficulty.

2026-06-18T08:50:21.212Z

And the gap is now up 1:40

2026-06-18T08:50:09.303Z

A shot of the peloton in pursuit mode

2026 Tour de Suisse Women stage 2: the bunch chasing down the two-up break (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-06-18T08:44:05.978Z

The gap continues to rise, now up to 55 seconds. Neither rider represents any kind of GC threat, as Cipressi started the day 12:01 down whilst Vanpachtenbeke is at 18:27.

2026-06-18T08:40:06.016Z

The two-up break is over the top of the unclassified descent and speeding down the far side towards the bonus sprint.

2026-06-18T08:36:38.881Z

And now it’s doubled to 40 seconds. Seems like we’ve got our break of the day.

2026-06-18T08:36:13.165Z

20 second gap for the two breakaways,

2026-06-18T08:33:42.028Z

Not clear how the crash happened in the middle of the peloton, maybe a touch of wheels.

2026-06-18T08:32:54.486Z

The yellow jersey could get back on her bike pretty fast and supported her teammates is quickly back in the bunch.

And the yellow jersey, Femke de Vries, is down.

2026-06-18T08:31:18.144Z

Here’s a first photo of the breakaway. They’re hovering between the 10 and 15 second mark right now.

2026 Tour de Suisse women: early break of the day (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-06-18T08:28:43.990Z

Yet more attacks from the bunch, and the gap’s dropping again, back to 10 seconds.

2026-06-18T08:27:43.398Z

And there are three counter-attackers, but they’re brought back.

2026-06-18T08:26:59.416Z

The gap is now up to 20 seconds. This is the one unclassified climb before the finale, so it makes sense for moves to try to go here.

2026-06-18T08:26:00.725Z

Despite the relentlessly fast pace as we get deeper into the race, two rider break tries to go clear on a rising road at 68 km to go: Carlota Cipressi (Human Powered Health) and Margot VanPachtenbeke (Lidl-Trek).

2026-06-18T08:17:41.189Z

It’s a very sunny day in southern Switzerland and the peloton is rolling along a typically broad, well-surfaced road. To judge by the first TV images not much wind.

Bunch still all together. Will it stay that way til the climbs at the end?

2026-06-18T08:09:25.447Z

A shot of the race leader before today’s start

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-06-18T08:06:33.859Z

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2026-06-18T08:00:19.818Z

Still no break, by the way, with a brisk average speed of nearly 45km right now.

2026-06-18T07:58:03.874Z

With just three teammates, it’s going to be interesting to see how race leader De Vries and Visma handle the other GC riders and their attacks.
“We will see, we will see, I don’t think we have to control it, we have to be sharp and follow the right moves,” De Vries says. “And we’ll be good.”
Looking further ahead and her prospects of winning overall, De Vries points to Marlen Reusser (Movistar) as one key challenger. “I really don’t know, the time trial is really Marlen’s speciality and she can gain a lot of time on me then so we just have to fight and give everything on that day and then we’ll see how we approach the final stage. I think I have a good gap and that’s a really nice position to start from. It’s too soon to say if I can win it.”

2026-06-18T07:51:34.283Z

The race is ten kilometres old and the peloton remains all together for now.

2026-06-18T07:43:43.985Z

Race organisation website is reporting an abandon for unspecified reasons: Linda Zanetti (Swiss National Team).

2026-06-18T07:37:02.558Z

Meanwhile the first attacks are beginning on stage 2, but nobody’s clear yet. Bunch still together.

2026-06-18T07:36:39.677Z

Km 82.5: Sprint: Cugnaso

Km 91.9: Climb: Fanghi (Cat.3, 3.5km, 7%)

Km 97.2: Climb: Via Consiglio Mezzano (Cat.3, 1.4km, 9%)

Km 105.6 Finish: Locarno

And stage 2 of the 2026 Tour de Suisse Women, Locarno-Locarno, 105.6km is officially underway

2026-06-18T07:26:06.844Z

The men’s and women’s stages of the Tour de Suisse have a near-identical finale, by the way, although the men also have to face a Cat.2 climb early on.

2026-06-18T07:23:41.565Z

Riders are moving onto the neutralised section, 4.1 kilometres before racing proper gets underway.

2026-06-18T07:12:19.035Z

Mountains: Femke de Vries (Visma-Lease a Bike)

BYR: Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly)

Teams: FDJ United-SUEZ

2026-06-18T06:59:15.595Z

Racing is due to get underway at 0932 CET for the 92 riders in the race.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse Women