Vuelta Femenina 2026: Rüegg sprints to first red jersey

fotobureau Cor VosNoemi Rüegg opens the Vuelta Femenina with a convincing sprint victory and, in doing so, also secures the first red jersey. Lotte Kopecky finishes second and Franziska Koch third. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 1 Results – 2026 Vuelta Femenina

1. Noemi Rüegg (swi) 2:53:50
2. Lotte Kopecky (bel) s.t.
3. Franziska Koch (ger) s.t.
4. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) s.t.
5. Maeva Squiban (fra) s.t.
6. Karlijn Swinkels (nld) s.t.
7. Marianne Vos (nld) s.t.
8. Monica Trinca Colonel (ita) s.t.
9. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (fra) s.t.
10. Loes Adegeest (NL) s.t.

GC after stage 1

1. Noemi Rüegg (swi)
2. Franziska Koch (ger) s.t.
3. Lotte Kopecky (bel) + 0:04
4. Loes Adegeest (nld) + 0:08
5. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) + 0:10
6. Maeva Squiban (fra) s.t.
7. Karlijn Swinkels (nld) s.t.
8. Marianne Vos (nld) s.t.
9. Monica Trinca Colonel (ita) s.t.
10. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (fra) s.t.

Race report

Andrea Casagrande is the first to attack after 13 kilometres, but the move doesn’t last long. An attack by Yuliia Biriukova on the Alto do Cruceiro also comes to nothing.

The peloton remains bunched during the entire day. Franziska Koch takes 6 seconds in the bonus sprint, while Letizia Paternoster takes 4, and Loes Adegeest 2.

In a crash 8 kilometres from the finish, Marianne Vos is among the victims. Franziska Koch, Eva van Agt, Juliette Berthet, Pauline Ferrand‑Prévot and Alessia Vigilia then open a small gap, but it is closed again in the final 5 kilometres

With the help of several teammates, Vos manages to rejoin the peloton with 2 kilometres to go, but there is nothing she can do when Noemi Rüegg launches her uphill sprint well before the line. Initially, Franziska Koch manages to hold the Swiss rider's wheel, but she fades away and Rüegg takes the stage win by a few bike lengths ahead of Lotte Kopecky.

Another interesting read: route 1st stage 2026 Vuelta Femenina.