Van Vleuten turns La Vuelta Femenina upside down in Cantabria
May 6 th 2023 - 15:46 [GMT + 2]
What an unforgettable cycling race. Current world champion Annemiek van Vleuten and her Movistar Team overhauled La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es with a long-range attack that began 35 kilometres into the stage, as overall leader Demi Vollering was dropped from the bunch and the Spanish team began pulling for its leader to take flight on her own as the road began rising through Cantabria. It was a 70-kilometre offensive that culminated in a two-up sprint between Van Vleuten and her breakaway companion Gaia Realini, with the Italian rider taking the stage win and Van Vleuten taking the Red jersey. As for Vollering, she never gave up and crossed the finish line 1’04” behind the Van Vleuten. Anything can happen tomorrow in the Lagos de Covadonga, final summit of this Vuelta Femenina and ultimate showdown between the riders that have put on a remarkable show throughout this week.
134 riders took the start in the 6th stage of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es, which covered 106,1 kilometres between Castro Urdiales and Laredo, at 12:36. One DNS: Chloe Dygert (Canyon//SRAM), who sat 2nd in the Points classification. No breakaway was established early in the stage as many attacks took place. The race changed completely 35 kilometres into the stage, when overall leader Demi Vollering (SD Worx) got dropped from the bunch as Movistar Team, Jumbo-Visma, UAE Team ADQ and Trek-Segafredo took strong pulls at the front and the wind blew significantly over the riders.
Van Vleuten hits the afterburners
Vollering and her SD Worx teammates were 1’14” in arrears of the head of the race at the base of the Alto de Fuente de las Varas (cat 2, km 64). The Movistar Team domestiques peeled off the front of the main bunch to let their leader Annemiek van Vleuten take matters in her own hands. The current world champion hit the afterburners, dropping one by one all the riders in her wheel but four - Gaia Realini (Trek-Segafredo), Evita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ), Erica Magnaldi (UAE Team ADQ) and Juliette Labous (Team DSM). Atop the Alto de Fuente de las Varas (cat 2, km 64), Van Vleuten had increased her lead over Vollering to 1’50”.
Vollering fights back
Van Vleuten sprinted flat out through the intermediate sprint at San Miguel de Aras (IS, km 73,8), taking flight on her own as she began climbing the Puerto de Campo El Hayal (cat 2, km 84,2) with 1’37” on Vollering. As the road began rising, Van Vleuten found company in Realini, who powered away from the chasing group to join the world champion at the front. Meanwhile, Vollering caught up with a 10-woman group with her teammate Marlen Reusser, Riejanne Markus (Jumbo-Visma) or Spanish national champion Mavi García (Liv Racing-TeqFind) amongst others. The gap between the two main groups remained unchanged at 1’38” at the summit, while a trio with Muzic, Magnaldi and Labous trailed 42” behind the leading duo.
Photo finish
The descent into Laredo was fast and thrilling. Vollering’s group managed to catch the chasing trio and close in to the head of the race, crossing the finish line just 1’04” behind them. As for the stage victory, Van Vleuten and Realini sprinted each other with everything they had. The jury had to look at the photo finish to finally award the win to Realini. No big deal for Van Vleuten, as the world champion got the Red jersey, though she had been riding for all day long.
