Results La Vuelta Femenina 2026 stage 1 | Noemi Rüegg outsprints Lotte Kopecky to take first red jersey of the race
Cycling
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 began this Sunday, with stage 1 finishing in Salvaterra de Miño. The finale delivered high drama, with Noemi Rüegg taking the win and the first red jersey of the race.
In the closing kilometres, with everything still to be decided, the favourites moved to the front of a peloton that stayed intact all day, ready for a bunch sprint that would settle both the stage and the first race lead. On the line, Rüegg sealed the victory.
As for its development, stage 1 of La Vuelta Femenina fired the starting gun on the first Grand Tour of the season with a 114-kilometre day and the opening red leader’s jersey at stake. From the outset, the peloton rode as one, setting a steady pace while the first breakaway attempts came and went.
The first serious move came from Andrea Casagranda, who tried her luck solo with 98 kilometres to go. Her bid, however, was brought back a few kilometres later by an attentive bunch unwilling to allow any leeway on a day tailored to the favourites.
The race stiffened over the Alto do Cruceiro, the first climb of the day. There, despite the terrain inviting attacks, the teams kept control and shut down any move from sticking. Only Yuliia Biriukova managed to edge clear briefly near the top, but her effort was short-lived.
After the descent, the peloton tackled the Alto da Portela to a similar script: controlled tempo, constant marking, and no breakaway able to establish itself. All signs pointed ever more clearly to a mass finish in Salvaterra de Miño.
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With the climbs behind, the tension built steadily. Mischa Bredewold tried to disrupt the calm with an attack at 59 kilometres to go, but the peloton quickly reasserted itself, neutralizing any surprises. This section also saw a crash for Karolina Perekitko, one of the few notable incidents on an otherwise controlled day.
In the final hour, several teams — notably FDJ United - SUEZ, Team SD Worx - Protime and EF Education-Oatly — took up the pace-making to harden the run-in, laying the groundwork for the inevitable sprint. With 30 kilometres remaining, the peloton was compact and well-drilled, all eyes on the battle for the stage and the first lead.
In the final kilometres, with everything still open, the favourites massed at the head of the group, ready to contest a sprint that would decide both the stage winner and the first race leader.
Five riders tried to foil the bunch sprint with an attack at 7km to go: Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Francisca Koch, Eva Van Agt, Alessia Vigilia and Juliette Berthet. However, the peloton brought them back at 4 kilometers to go, setting up the sprint that Noemi Rüegg won, beating Lotte Kopecky.
Stage 1 Results La Vuelta a España Femenina 2026

Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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- What kind of sauce is on that rice? Ketchup?Kbd05-11-2026
- 18 broken bones. 78 crashes, among 30 rider per year is a lot. so for a rider over 15 seasons, they will break their bones 7-8 times and crash 38 times.abstractengineer04-11-2026
- i dont think he is ready ot win against the top 2 or the 2nd rung of evenepoel, del toro , Almeida. In the third week in the TDF he was very very defensive, no attacks. i think he was exhausted. right now he needs time not the brutal Giro or the intense TDF.abstractengineer04-11-2026
- Rota is an excellent rider to get in a break with because he always does his turnchapmanesque04-11-2026
- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
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