EF Education go from heaven to hell and back at the Vuelta: 'This one's for you, Noemi!'

Three extraordinary days for EF Education-Oatly at the Vuelta Femenina. Noemi Rüegg won the opening stage and took the race lead — only for the joy to turn to heartbreak a day later when the Swiss rider broke her shoulder and was forced to abandon. Cédrine Kerbaol's win in stage three completed an extraordinary rollercoaster for the American team.

Kerbaol described her feelings in a flash interview after the finish. "It feels crazy. We've ridden so well as a team — better than ever, I think. We already won with Noemi, which was f*cking incredible. Then she crashed. We went from the highest high to the lowest low. But now we're back on top. We're thinking of her a lot. It's a mix of so many emotions."

With the fast-finishing Rüegg gone, the team had to adapt — and they did it with style. Kerbaol's win was a proper team effort. "We couldn't have done it much better. Kristen [Faulkner] tried, then Alice [Towers] attacked too. Around four or five riders were able to follow, and when Alice was brought back, I went immediately. This one is for the team."

Now the focus shifts to the general classification, where Kerbaol is eyeing a strong overall result. "The plan hasn't changed — we want to be as high as possible in the standings. Before the Vuelta, I told my team director I'd love to win a stage. I was told to keep my focus, but that changed at the briefing. We said: let's try everything."

Team-mate Towers was key to the win with her acceleration in the final, which gave Kerbaol the opening she needed. "That was perfect," Kerbaol called out after the finish. "We were in control all day. I hadn't planned to go on the cobbles, but it just unfolded that way. I'm a bit emotional, to be honest. This win is for Noemi, who is in hospital. This one's for you!"