Vuelta España Femenina | Race Report

Stage 7: La Pola Llaviana -> L’Angliru

Stage 7 of La Vuelta Femenina brought the riders from La Pola Llaviana to the legendary Alto de l’Angliru, with the mythical final climb averaging more than 10 per cent over 12 kilometres. Without pre-race GC finisher Eleonora Ciabocco, the focus shifted towards targeting a stage result with Audrey De Keersmaeker. Early in the stage, a three-rider breakaway went clear and held an advantage heading towards the final climb. Once the peloton hit the slopes of the Angliru, the attackers were caught one by one as the pace increased behind. On the brutal gradients of the climb, Stiasny proved strongest to take the stage win, while Blasi gained enough time on Van der Breggen to secure the overall victory. After another hard day in the mountains, De Keersmaeker battled all the way to the finish to lead the team across the line for the final time this week.

Stage 6: Gijón -> Les Praeres

The penultimate day of racing at the Vuelta saw the peloton faced with rolling roads before a brutally steep summit finish to Les Praeres; with average gradients of over 12 percent for four kilometres. It was a fast start to the action, and without their pre-race GC finisher Eleonora Ciabocco, the team approached the day with an open and active mindset. After quite a few attacks from the squad, Gaia Masetti made it into the break of the day.

The group ahead worked well together and built up an advantage that peaked at roughly five minutes with 60 kilometres to go. However, the peloton remained steadfast and ultimately were always in control, bringing back Masetti and one other as the last riders standing out front with around ten kilometres remaining. From there, it was a battle of gravity as the peloton took on the steep slopes where Audrey De Keersmaeker was the first rider across the line for the team.