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Noemi Rüegg claims the red jersey after a thrilling victory in the opening stage of the 2026 La Vuelta España Femenina. This explosive finish sets the stage for an intense competition ahead.
Rüegg dominated the 113.9-kilometer stage, showcasing her strength in the final 200 meters despite challenging rain and treacherous descents. Her acceleration left former world champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) and Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) unable to catch up, with Kopecky finishing second and Koch third. Rüegg also secured a 10-second time bonus, putting her level on time with Koch for the overall lead, thanks to Koch's earlier bonuses.
As the race develops, Loes Adegeest (Lidl-Trek) sits fourth overall, eight seconds back. The stage had 53 riders finish at the same time, creating a tightly contested leaderboard. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), recovering from a crash, managed to finish seventh and is eighth in the general classification. Meanwhile, Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek) fell behind after a split in the peloton, now trailing at 2:23 off the pace. Tomorrow, Squiban will wear the polka dot mountain jersey after her strong fifth-place finish. The Vuelta promises to be wide open in the coming days.
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