Demi Vollering set a blistering pace up the only categorized climb of the day during Stage 6 of La Vuelta España Femenina, but it wasn't enough to shake FDJ-Suez's Évita Muzic who came around the SD Worx-Protime rider to win the stage. Yara Kasteijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) finished third 15 seconds behind.
Vollering extended her lead on Lidl-Trek's Elisa Longo Borghini in the overall classification to 56 seconds, and Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike) was able to gain a few seconds on Longo Borghini and hold third overall, 1:14 behind Vollering.
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How it unfolded
- The stage started with relentless attacks, Human Powered Health were particularly active trying to get away in the early stages of the race. Finally with 85 km to go a group of four found themselves with an advantage on the peloton. Aurela Nerlo (Winspace), Claudia San Justo (Eneicat-CMTeam), Laura Molenaar (VolkerWessels), and Fauve Bastiaenssen (Lotto Dstny) stayed away until 18 km to go when the last rider was caught by the peloton, led by SD Worx-Protime.
- A few teams were happy to set the pace on the lower slopes of the climb, with riders slowly dropping out of the back of the peloton. Vollering only hit the front of a very reduced group with 3.5 km to go. The group was still home to a lot of the top climbers in the race, including two of Vollering's teammates, Marlen Reusser and Niamh Fisher-Black.
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- Reusser came to the front for Vollering with 2 km to go as some riders regained contact with the group from behind, including Tour Down Under winner Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal). Through the 2 km to go banner Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) attacked and the move was enough for Vollering to react, which popped Reusser from the group.
- With 1 km to go the group was still large, with most of the big names still present, despite a blistering pace from Vollering. The race leader distanced the rest with 600 metres to go, when Longo Borghini dropped the wheel, but Muzic was able to regain contact with the Dutch champion. Behind second-placed overall Longo Borghini could not keep the pace.
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- After her efforts, Vollering couldn't react as Muzic rode past the race leader to take the fifth win of her career. Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) confirmed her excellent form on stage 5 as she rode to third on the stage, 15 seconds behind Muzic.
- Muzic's win secured her sixth in the general classification, 2:42 down after time lost in the echelons of Stage 4. Elisa Longo Borghini retained her second overall despite a bit of time lost.
Stage Top 10
[race_result id=9058 stage_id=81302 count=10 gc=0]GC Top 10
[race_result id=9058 stage_id=81302 count=10 gc=10]
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Other notes
- The day started on a somber note with news that both Gaia Realini and Kasia Niewiadoma would not take to the start.
Quote of the day
I often finish fourth, like in [La Flèche Wallonne] and also yesterday, also last year in the two climbing stages in La Vuelta. I really wanted one big victory, and now I have, and now I will be more [confidence] in me. Sometimes I am too kind and I stop the climb a bit far, but I always have the legs, but now I showed everyone.
Évita Muzic after winning La Vuelta Stage 7
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