Course and results Vuelta a España women 2025 | Vos secures fifth Dutch victory, queen stage on Saturday!
Women's Cycling
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Follow us on GoogleOn Friday, May 9, the men’s Giro d’Italia kicks off in Albania, but just a few days earlier, the women get to start their first Grand Tour of the year. They will do so in Barcelona, where the Vuelta a España will begin. With Demi Vollering returning as the defending champion among several big names, there’s every reason to follow the race — and IDLProCycling.com will certainly be doing so.
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Vollering won the race last year with a solid lead over Riejanne Markus and Elisa Longo Borghini, taking revenge for 2023. That year, she was denied victory by a cunning Annemiek van Vleuten after a bathroom break. Van Vleuten, now retired, also won the race in 2022 and 2021, making her the record holder with three overall victories in the women’s Vuelta.
Most recent winners - Vuelta a España women
2024 Demi Vollering
2023 Annemiek van Vleuten
2022 Annemiek van Vleuten
2021 Annemiek van Vleuten
2020 Lisa Brennauer
2019 Lisa Brennauer
2018 Ellen van Dijk
2017 Jolien D'Hoore
2016 Jolien D'Hoore
2015 Shelley Olds
2023 Annemiek van Vleuten
2022 Annemiek van Vleuten
2021 Annemiek van Vleuten
2020 Lisa Brennauer
2019 Lisa Brennauer
2018 Ellen van Dijk
2017 Jolien D'Hoore
2016 Jolien D'Hoore
2015 Shelley Olds
Women's Vuelta a España 2025: Course, stage win favorites and times
Stage 1, Sunday, May 4: Barcelona - Barcelona (8.1 km, team time trial)
The women’s Vuelta kicks off with a short team time trial in Barcelona. The 8.1-kilometer course is flat, so the spotlight will be on teams with serious horsepower. Who will land the first blow in the general classification?
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 2, Monday, May 5: Molins de Rei - Sant Boi de Llobregat (99.0 km)
Stage two is already a tricky one, starting from Molins de Rei. The first 12 kilometers climb at 4.1%, followed by a mostly rolling course. With 20 kilometers to go, the road heads downhill, before the final 10 kilometers on flat roads leading into a slightly uphill final kilometer.
Winner
Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 3, Tuesday, May 6: Barbastro - Huesca (132.5 km)
Stage 3 starts in Barbastro and ends in Huesca after 132.5 kilometers. A bunch sprint is expected, but wind could play a key role if it picks up.
Winner
Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime)
Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-Protime)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 4, Wednesday, May 7: Pedrola - Borja (111.6 km)
Stage four takes us into the mid-mountains. While there are no high mountain passes yet, two climbs in the second half of the stage (each averaging 5.5%) and a descent to the finish could start to create some GC gaps.
Winner
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 5, Thursday, May 8: Golmayo - Lagunas de Neila (120.4 km)
If there are no differences made here... After 90 relatively easy kilometers from Golmayo, the riders will tackle the Rozavientos (4 km at 8.1%) and the summit finish at Lagunas de Neila (6.8 km at 8.7%). Pure climbers will love this one.
Winner
Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 6, Friday, May 9: Becerril de Campos - Baltanás (126.7 km)
After two tougher stages, day six is one for the sprinters — though they’ll need to stay sharp near Baltanás, where some sharp little climbs await in the finale. There’s also the risk of echelons throughout the stage.
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Stage 7, Saturday, May 10: La Robla - Alto de Cotobello.Asturias (152.6 km)
Without question the queen stage of this Vuelta. A 153-kilometer long beast packed with elevation gain, ending on the tough Alto de Cotobello: 10.3 km at an average of 8.3%, after earlier tackling the Colladona and Colladiella climbs. A brutal finale!
Favorites
Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Times
Start: 10:09 AM local time (4:09 AM EDT)
Finish: 2:30 PM local time (8:30 AM EDT)
Start: 10:09 AM local time (4:09 AM EDT)
Finish: 2:30 PM local time (8:30 AM EDT)
Favorites Vuelta a España for women 2025
Note: the start list is not yet final, so this section may still be updated.
The 2025 Vuelta a España for women features a world-class field, headlined by defending champion Demi Vollering, who will once again go for overall victory with her FDJ–Suez team. Vollering couldn’t secure wins in the Ardennes classics this year, but the Vuelta — just one week later — gives her a chance to make up for that. She has the team to support her, with Juliette Labous and Evita Muzic, who are both capable of strong results themselves.
Last year, Vollering battled Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) in the Tour de France Femmes. The Polish rider, also on the start list for this Vuelta, has had a tough season so far, partly due to crashes, but is expected to be competitive in this kind of mountainous race. Her teammate Neve Bradbury is also a strong climber.
There’s also plenty of attention on the riders making a comeback: on one hand, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot from Visma | Lease a Bike, who will be riding her first-ever Grand Tour. Anna van der Breggen from SD Worx–Protime is also on the start list, though she’s still unsure of what she’ll be capable of. Van der Breggen will also ride the Giro and the Tour later this season.
Anyone else? Yes — rising star Nienke Vinke (Picnic PostNL), the dangerous EF duo Cedrine Kerbaol and Olympic champion Kristen Faulkner, Mavi Garcia (Liv–Jayco–AlUla), Liane Lippert (Movistar), Yara Kastelijn (Fenix–Deceuninck), and Ashleigh Moolman (AG Insurance–Soudal Quick-Step). Lidl–Trek brings a strong lineup with Niamh Fisher-Black, Shirin van Anrooij, and Riejanne Markus — who finished second overall last year.
Who are the favorites for Vuelta a España for women 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com?
Top favorite:Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez)
Outsiders: Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM), Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Long shots: Juliette Labous, Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez), Liane Lippert (Movistar), Nienke Vinke (Picnic PostNL), Cedrine Kerbaol, Kristen Faulkner (EF-Oatly), Mavi Garcia (Liv-Jayco-AlUla), Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Aisleigh Moolman (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step)
Outsiders: Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM), Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime)
Long shots: Juliette Labous, Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez), Liane Lippert (Movistar), Nienke Vinke (Picnic PostNL), Cedrine Kerbaol, Kristen Faulkner (EF-Oatly), Mavi Garcia (Liv-Jayco-AlUla), Yara Kastelijn (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Aisleigh Moolman (AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step)
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
TV Vuelta a España for women 2025
The women's Vuelta a España will be broadcast daily on Eurosport 1 and HBO Max.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026
- Pointing to three former riders doesn’t settle what nearly 100 people have reportedly shared. Hopefully the review looks at the team’s systems and culture, not just whose version of events sounds more convincing.julien13-11-2026
- Eight questions or 23? That’s a pretty significant difference in the accounts, and it’d be useful to know exactly what was sent and when.robert6513-11-2026
- Kittel’s position sounds more nuanced than Spekenbrink suggests: he didn’t endorse the “culture of fear” label, but still called for the team to be looked at critically. That distinction matters.bikebuffj13-11-2026
- The independent investigation is the important bit now. It needs to give current staff a safe way to speak honestly, not just become another round of public statements.michael5413-11-2026
- One Lombardia doesn’t tell us how Seixas will handle a full Grand Tour. I’d rather see him develop steadily than have every result turned into a Pogačar comparison.samanthak12-11-2026
- Pogacar is 30 already? I thought he was younger. If he keeps winning like this, how long can he realistically ride at the top?jeremya12-11-2026
- Interesting that Thomas made the comparison while speaking to Rowe, given Decathlon’s hopes of keeping Seixas and the reports linking INEOS with him. Praise, or a subtle message to a potential signing?gearguru3312-11-2026
- Seixas winning Il Lombardia at this age is a huge statement. The Pogačar comparisons are inevitable, but Thomas is right to leave room for both of them to keep improving—Pog is still setting the bar.robert6512-11-2026
- A fascinating career, but the article leans heavily on his side of the story. Were the three disqualifications all for the same equipment rule, or were there different issues each time?michael5412-11-2026