There was no hiding on the 20% grades of L'Angliru, where La Vuelta Femenina was set to explode. On the early slopes, the strongest in the peloton emerged, and with every pedal stroke, Petra Stiasny of Human Powered Health broke her competition. The Swiss rider put pressure on the GC favorites and rode to stage victory, 23 seconds ahead of Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ).
"I still cannot believe it," Stiasny said after the race. "I am lost for words. For me, it's incredible. I was looking forward to this stage for a really long time. When they announced that L'Angliru would be part of La Vuelta, I had only one thing in my head. Every day. For me, it was a dream to win this stage."
Stiasny, the first woman to win atop L'Angliru.
By taking second place on the stage, Blasi rode herself into the red jersey, the first Spanish rider to do so. The 23-year-old won the overall by 24 seconds ahead of Anna van der Breggen, who finished fifth on the final stage. The SD Worx-Protime rider started the day in red, leading by 18 seconds, but was distanced under the pressure of Stiasny and Blasi on the brutal climb.
Juliette Berthet (FDJ United-Suez) finished third on the stage, out-sprinting Marion Bunel (Visma-Lease a Bike) for the final stage podium step. Bunel was able to retain her third overall and also take home the Youth Classification.
Blasi was clearly emotional, for good reason!
[race_result id=9058 stage_id=90154 count=5 gc=0 year=2026]
[race_result id=9058 stage_id=90154 count=5 gc=5 year=2026]
How it happened
- From the flag drop, the final stage of La Vuelta was full gas. Attacks started with 128 km to go, and after that, the peloton splintered and came back together for over 25 km. In the end, a strong breakaway of three formed. The move was led by Femke Markus of SD Worx-Protime, and she was joined by her sister Riejanne Markus, riding for Lidl-Trek. The two were then joined by Liane Lippert of Movistar 9 km later.
- The three attackers pushed ahead of the race until the lower slopes of L'Angliru, where Lippert dropped the Markus sisters and went at it alone. The race had been so fast before the riders got to the final climb that the peloton at that point was only about 30 riders, total.
Riejanne was the first of the Markus sisters to lose contact with Lippert
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