Van der Breggen and SD Worx reflect on a Vuelta Femenina to be proud of
CyclingSaturday, 09 May 2026 at 22:02
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Follow us on GoogleNext to a much-discussed stage at the Giro d'Italia, we must make room for a remarkable final day at the Vuelta Femenina. Anna van der Breggen went into stage 7 wearing the red leader's jersey, but SD Worx-Protime's leader was unable to defend it.
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On the mythical Alto de l'Angliru, Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) rode to second place on the stage — and with it, took the overall victory in the Vuelta Femenina. The Amstel Gold Race winner relegated Van der Breggen to second in the final standings. SD Worx-Protime rounded out their Spanish week with a podium finish, three stage victories and the green points jersey for Lotte Kopecky.
In a press release, the Dutch team acknowledged that disappointment was the dominant feeling, "over the missed overall victory for Anna." "I gave it everything I had, but it just wasn't quite enough — and right now, that really stings. I fought for everything I was worth, but in the end I fell just short," Van der Breggen said.
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Van der Breggen and SD Worx-Protime also proud of their Vuelta week
The experienced Dutch campaigner closed in on Blasi on the steepest ramps, but the gap was ultimately too great. "Yet pride takes over when I look at the whole team. With three stage wins and the green jersey, we rode a fantastic Vuelta. Since my comeback, I had hoped it would be possible to fight for overall victory in a Grand Tour again — and it's wonderful to already be this close to the very top."
"This gives me confidence," is her conclusion. That is also the message sports director Danny Stam believes Van der Breggen should take away from this race. "Of course we had hoped to bring home the overall classification too, but the Angliru doesn't lie," the Dutchman said, though he did acknowledge "a somewhat mixed feeling."
"We should look back above all with immense pride at how the team raced this week. The disappointment is still dominant right now — and that's part of elite sport. But we need to move past it quickly and look at what we achieved as a team. We came here with the goal of taking a stage win and seeing whether a podium in the GC was possible. We achieved that and more."
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
- - Bienvenido de vuelta, Pogi! Forza per la prossima stagione — zdravje naj bo na prvem mestu.bikebuffj27-09-2026
- - Was the vertebra a C6 or C7? Curious what the expected timeline is before he can do threshold work outdoors again.breakawaybikerd27-09-2026
- - That first-week domination at the Vuelta was scary good—three stage wins and time gaps on wide, windy roads. Shame a stray rock changed everything. Vamos Tadej!cyclechamp4527-09-2026
- - “You’re not a real cyclist until you’ve broken your collarbone” made me wince. Bit macho, innit? Recovery isn’t a badge—just glad he’s riding safely again.patriciaw27-09-2026
- - Why wasn’t the ride on Strava if he’s okay to post videos? Is there a reason pros sometimes skip Strava uploads after injury?cadencekingm27-09-2026
- - Loved the context about Urska, Dunbar and Verhulst-Wild all dealing with similar surgeries. The titanium plate club is real. Heal up, champ. Paris 2025 focus?samanthak27-09-2026
- - Five Tours “won” is a big claim—did you mean five-time strongest performer, or are we counting something unofficial? He’s got two yellow jerseys officially. Article needs a quick fact-check there.gearguru3327-09-2026
- - Great to see Tadej back spinning the legs. That Vuelta crash was brutal, but collarbone + C-vertebra recovery in this timeframe is impressive. Hope they’re not rushing—concussion protocols matter more than an Insta reel.jennifer1927-09-2026
- - Qué carrera, magnifique esprit! Niewiadoma mostrando coraje total, pero Demi otra vez imparable en el sprint. Respect to both.sprocketspiny26-09-2026
- - Not sure the article gives enough tactical detail. Who was in the chase group and what teams were actually pulling? That context matters if we’re judging Kasia’s options in the finale.jennifer1926-09-2026
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