Vuelta Femenina 2026: Van der Breggen doubles up atop Les Praeres

fotobureau Cor VosEarly on the extremely steep final climb, Anna van der Breggen takes the initiative. One by one she drops the other riders, until she has opened a gap with 2.5 kilometres to go. Paula Blasi and Marion Bunel keep her in sight, but cannot close the gap by a single centimetre. Van der Breggen pulls off a double strike and is in pole position to win the Vuelta Femenina. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 6 Results – 2026 Vuelta Femenina

1. Anna van der Breggen (nld) 3:01:45
2. Paula Blasi (spa) + 0:08
3. Marion Bunel (fra) + 0:29
4. Juliette Berthet (fra) + 0:36
5. Monica Trinca Colonel (ita) s.t.
6. Évita Muzic (fra) + 0:47
7. Yara Kastelijn (nld) s.t.
8. Gaia Realini (ita) + 0:57
9. Katrine Aalerud (nor) + 1:09
10. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) s.t.

GC after stage 6

1. Anna van der Breggen (nld)
2. Paula Blasi (spa) + 0:18
3. Marion Bunel (fra) + 0:41
4. Monica Trinca Colonel (ita) + 0:52
5. Évita Muzic (fra) + 0:59
6. Kasia Niewiadoma (pol) + 1:25
7. Usoa Ostoloza (spa) s.t.
8. Katrine Aalerud (nor) + s.t.
9. Lore De Schepper (bel) + 1:32
10. Lotte Claes (bel) + 1:44

Race report

Gaia Masetti, Sterre Vervloet, Marine Allione and Elisa Valtulini form the breakaway of the day. While Aniek van Alphen and Léa Rondel are chasing in vain for tens of kilometres, the quartet ride into a lead of over 5 minutes.

As the riders approach the steep finishing climb, Masetti and Vervloet are the last attackers to be caught inside the final 12 kilometres.

Early on the steep final climb, Cédrine Kerbaol attacks. Anna van der Breggen closes the gap with six riders on her wheel, while Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is struggling.

The Dutch rider continues to set the pace and only Kasia Niewiadoma and Paula Blasi are able to follow. Marion Bunel is initially dropped, but manages to get back on.

Van der Breggen does not look back as first Niewiadoma cracks, and later Blasi and Bunel also drop off. With 2.5 kilometres still to climb, she is alone at the front.

The four-time Giro winner rides solo to the stage victory and the leader’s jersey, while Blasi limits her losses to 8 seconds. The Amstel Gold Race winner looks like Van der Breggen’s biggest threat, sitting 18 seconds down in the general classification. Bunel is third at 41 seconds.

Another interesting read: route 6th stage 2026 Vuelta Femenina.