"We were on cloud nine, before hitting rock bottom": Cedrine Kerbaol dedicates Vuelta stage win to battered Noemi Rüegg

The third stage of La Vuelta Femenina 2026 seemed destined to be decided in a reduced finish among versatile sprinters - and Lotte Kopecky was a clear favourite for such a scenario. However EF Education-Oatly's Cédrine Kerbaol had other plans. The Frenchwoman upset everyone by landing a late attack with two kilometers to go.

For the 2024 Tour de France stage winner, it was a bittersweet afternoon. While she's secured one of the biggest triumphs of her career, the American leader lost its leader Noemi Rüegg in previous stage.

"It's crazy. Yesterday, we were riding so well as a team, probably our best race so far, with Noemi Rüegg in the red jersey… and then she crashed and had to abandon. We were on cloud nine, before hitting rock bottom. Now we're climbing back up, so it's been a real emotional rollercoaster," Kerbaol said at the finish.

Filled with strong emotions, the teammates of Rüegg entered stage three with a clear objective; to get a revenge... perhaps against the Spanish roads themselves. And so, they left no stone unturned in search of victory on the way to A Coruña.

The stage was defined by nerves and the absence of a team willing to impose full control on the bunch in the final kilometres. Exploiting that tactical anarchy, EF Education moved its pieces with intelligence and nerve.

First, Alice Towers stirred the pot with an earlier move, forcing the favourites’ teams to burn matches in a disjointed chase. At that precise moment, Kerbaol launched a powerful attack with just 2 kilometres to go, holding on in front of a launching peloton.

"We thought about Noemi a lot today. My team rode its best race ever. Kristen [Faulkner] and Alice [Towers] attacked in the final kilometers, and then I countered to go for the win. I was waiting for the right moment to try my luck. We already have three days of racing in our legs, and we're all starting to get a bit tired. Anything could have happened in the finale, and I seized my opportunity. In any case, this victory is for the team."