La Vuelta Femenina unveils brutal route with Angliru finale, Ferrand-Prévot set to start

The sprinters are unlikely to find much to work with in this year’s edition. No fewer than five stages include over 2,000 metres of climbing, even if there are “only” two summit finishes. The race starts in Marín, in Galicia, before heading through a demanding opening block in north-west Spain. Stage 1 on Sunday, May 3, looks like the kind of day that could suit aggressive riders rather than pure sprinters.

The same applies to stage 2, which finishes in San Cibrao das Viñas, near Ourense. Stage 3, into A Coruña, appears to be the easiest of the week and may be the best opportunity for a bunch sprint. Stage 4 to Antas de Ulla returns to hillier terrain, with an uphill finish likely to create differences. Stage 5 starts in León and heads to Astorga, where a sprint is possible again, although the organisers have already warned about the potential role of crosswinds.

The final two stages are where the race truly comes alive. Stage 6 starts in Asturias, and once you arrive there, you know what that means: climbing, and steep climbing at that. After a rugged day in the hills, the penultimate stage finishes on Les Praeres, a short but savage ascent where Simon Yates won in the men’s Vuelta in 2018 and Louis Meintjes did the same in 2022. Pedro Delgado once described it as “the mini Angliru,” and that tells you plenty.

The “mega-Angliru” follows a day later. It will be the first time the women’s peloton finishes on Spain’s most feared climb, and it is expected to become an all-out battle of attrition. At 132 kilometres, it is the longest stage of the week, and the riders will have to cover more than 3,200 vertical metres. According to the official race announcement, it will be the hardest stage in the history of La Vuelta Femenina. The Angliru itself climbs for 12.4 kilometres at an average of 9.7%, with ramps reaching 23%.

That alone would be enough to guarantee a spectacle, but the expected field adds even more weight to the race. Tour de France Femmes champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has already committed to the event, along with her Visma | Lease a Bike teammate Marianne Vos. Among those expected to challenge them are Marlen Reusser, Lotte Kopecky, Mavi García and Paula Blasi. One major name who will not return is Demi Vollering, who won the race in 2025 but is not expected to be on the start line this time around.