What a finish! EF Education Oatly’s Noemi Rüegg opened La Vuelta España Femenina with a great win on a tricky, rain-slick stage along Spain’s Atlantic edge. She even beat the great Lotte Kopecky in a reduced sprint after 113.9 km from Marín to Salvaterra do Miño.
The usual team time trial was swapped for a lumpy road stage this year. Early attacks never stuck, but the climbs still sparked a fight for points.
Things got a bit sketchy as the women got on some wet roads approaching the finish. A crash inside 10 km split the bunch and briefly delayed Marianne Vos. The former world champion was forced into a loooong chase before finally regaining contact in the final kilometres.
The finale
Up front, SD Worx-Protime lined it out for Kopecky to launch her absolutely ferocious sprint. Except on Sunday,. Rüegg hit the sprint late and fast, opening a big gap. Kopecky settled for second, while Vos, after her chase, finished seventh. The chase back by Vos, and then still being there in the end, was certainly impressive. She is, however, one of the greatest female cyclists in history.
Noemi Rüegg masters a hectic finale to take the first stage of the Vuelta Femenina 🚀 pic.twitter.com/s6USptn5IY
— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) May 3, 2026
Sole Canuck in Spain
There is only one Canadian racing at La Vuelta, Victoria’s Sarah Van Dam (Visma – Lease a Bike).
She’s been riding well, so she may get an opportunity this week for a big win, something she’s been so close to this year. On Saturday, she finished 24th in the bunch after working for Vos.
Stage 2 from Lobios to San Cibrao das Viñas, for a total of 109.8 km, is a bit hillier, but it’s a bit of a downhill finish, so things may come back together. You can catch the action of every stage of La Vuelta Femenina on Flobikes.com. The daily coverage begins at 6:30 a.m. EDT. And yup, as you know, check back here on Canadian Cycling Magazine for a report after.
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