La Vuelta Femenina 2026 preview, profiles, favourites & predictions - Pauline Ferrand-Prévot the main favourite as women's peloton tackles the Angliru

La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es 2026 will take place from Sunday, May 3rd, to Saturday, May 9th. With seven stages that start in Galicia and culminate on the demanding Alto de L’Angliru in Asturias, The route promises great spectacle thanks to a very tough profile, especially favorable to climbers.

Among the first confirmed riders are top names from the international peloton. The Olympic champion and current Tour de France winner, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, will be at the start, as will her Team Visma | Lease a Bike teammate, the veteran Marianne Vos. Also taking part is Belgian Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime). The Spaniards Mavi García and Paula Blasi, both from UAE Team ADQ, promise to animate the race as home favourites.

Galicia will take center stage at the start by hosting the first four stages. The Galician roads, known for their constant ups and downs, will rack up almost 8,000 meters of elevation gain in just over 450 kilometers. The opening stage between Marín and Salvaterra de Miño, in Pontevedra; and the second stage between Lobios and San Cibrao das Viñas, in Ourense, feature challenges along the route and especially in the finale, making a bunch finish unlikely.

The fourth stage, between Monforte de Lemos and Antas de Ulla, in Lugo, also ends on a slight rise, a terrain to create gaps. The best opportunity for sprinters will come on the third day, between Padrón and A Coruña, with a flat finish in the Herculean city.

The fifth stage will start from León and, in principle, will be the most accessible of the week. Its 119 kilometers do not present major orographic difficulties, although the wind could be decisive, as happened in the León stage of the 2025 edition between Becerril de Campos and Baltanás. That day was won in a sprint by Marianne Vos, who shares with Demi Vollering the record for most stage wins in the race’s history, with six each. Vollering, moreover, has won the overall classification in the last two editions.

The finale of the race will arrive in Asturias, the stage for the last two days. The sixth day will link Gijón to Nava and finish on the Alto de Les Praeres, a climb already known from the men’s Vuelta. With almost four kilometers at a 13% average gradient and ramps reaching 20%, it was described by Perico Delgado as “a mini Angliru.”

The grand decision will come the following day on the Alto de L’Angliru itself however. One of the most iconic summits in cycling, featured in ten editions of the men’s Vuelta since its debut in 1999 with José María “Chava” Jiménez’s fog-shrouded victory, now enters the history of women’s cycling.

The final ascent, 12.4 kilometers from Riosa with an average of 9.7% and maximums of 23%, will decide the race winner. The stage will accumulate more than 3,200 meters of elevation gain, becoming the toughest day in the history of La Vuelta Femenina, surpassing last year’s 2,700 meters on the Cotobello finish.

The opening day in Pontevedra kicks off the race with a route typical of Galician terrain: short, rugged, and unrelenting. The constant rolling profile and the difficulties packed into the final third will prevent easy control by the peloton. It does not look like a day for pure sprinters, but rather for riders able to crest sharp climbs and exploit possible late attacks.

The second stage keeps the same philosophy as the race start, with a demanding route through the province of Ourense. The accumulated elevation gain and the presence of categorized climbs in the final part may cause a significant selection in the peloton. It will be a day suited to explosive riders or tactical moves aiming to surprise before the finish line.

The third day is the best opportunity for sprinters in the first half of the race. Although Galician terrain is always jagged, the completely flat finish in A Coruña favors a sprint outcome. If the fast teams can control potential breakaways, this is the clearest day for a bunch finish.

The fourth day will again present an uncomfortable profile, with a route that will require constant attention. The slightly uphill finish in Antas de Ulla could create gaps among the favorites or open the door to a late attack. It’s a stage that combines accumulated fatigue with a finale suited to riders with a strong kick on rolling climbs.

On paper, this will be the simplest stage of the week, with a 119-kilometer route without major climbing difficulties. However, the wind could become the main protagonist, as it did in the previous edition on Leonese territory. Echelons could split the peloton and cause gaps that influence the general classification.

The race will start to be decided in Asturias with the finish at Alto de Les Praeres. This climb, short but extremely steep, with average gradients of 13% and ramps reaching 20%, is ideal for explosive attacks among the favorites. The climbers will have a first major opportunity here to open gaps before the final showdown.

The final stage will be the race’s great decider. The ascent to the Angliru, with 12.4 kilometers at an average gradient of 9.7% and maximum ramps of 23%, represents one of the toughest challenges in cycling. With over 3,200 meters of accumulated elevation on the day, everything points to the final victory being decided on its slopes, in a scenario designed to crown the strongest climber of the edition.

The 2026 edition of La Vuelta Femenina presents a very open field, but with one big favorite above the rest: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. The French rider arrives after a superb season and, above all, after winning the Tour de France Femmes last year, an achievement that makes her the main reference for the overall. Her ability to perform on all terrains, from medium mountains to demanding finishes, makes her the rider to beat if she maintains that level.

Among the main contenders, Anna van der Breggen also stands out, leading the powerful Team SD Worx - Protime. Her experience in Grand Tours and tactical intelligence remain a guarantee, in addition to the support of Lotte Kopecky, decisive in more explosive stages or reduced sprints.

Another key name will be Kasia Niewiadoma, always consistent in this type of race and able to stay close to the best in all scenarios. Her team Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto will again revolve around her chances, looking to harden the race to maximize her performance.

On the Spanish front, the spotlight will be particularly interesting with a trio within UAE Team ADQ. The experience and solidity of Mavi García are joined by the great form of Paula Blasi, who arrives after an extraordinary Ardennes campaign, showing remarkable progress against the elite. Alongside them, Karlijn Swinkels completes a balanced block that can be influential both in the GC and in tactical moves.

It’s also worth keeping a close eye on riders like Noemi Rüegg, who can take advantage of open race scenarios, or the Frenchwoman Juliette Berthet, at FDJ United - SUEZ, with the profile of a steady rider on demanding routes.

On a second tier, names such as Monica Trinca Colonel or the leaders of teams like AG Insurance - Soudal Team with Urska Zigart and Sarah Gigante and Movistar Team with Liane Lippert could take on prominent roles.

*** Pauline Ferrand-Prévot

** Anna van der Breggen, Kasia Niewiadoma, Sarah Gigante

* Lotte Kopecky, Paula Blasi, Mavi García, Noemi Rüegg, Karlijn Swinkels, Monica Trinca Colonel, Juliette Berthet, Urska Zigart

Pick: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot