00:00Welcome to the Vuelta Femenina 2026, and we start in Marin on the Atlantic coast of Galicia.
00:08Demi Vollorin has been the dominator of this race, but the two-time defending champion has chosen to focus instead
00:15on her own Italian job.
00:18That has opened the door for a new champion to be crowned in a field where only three riders have
00:24ever even worn the leader's red jersey.
00:26The last two Tour de France Femme winners, Cassia Nieuwe-Doma and Pauline Ferrand-Prévost, two main contenders to add
00:34La Roja to their Palmares.
00:36But today the stage honors a puncher in the pack. Lota Capecchi and Mariana Vos will be licking their lips.
00:45113.9 kilometers to the village of Salva Terra de Migno, just a bridge crossing from Portugal.
00:55Two categorized climbs, but in the first 60 kilometers.
00:59The real test in the final stretch, a punchy one-kilometer drag to the line.
01:10A wet and windy start to proceedings to this fourth edition.
01:14Not perfect conditions, but nothing too extreme all the same.
01:18The small matter of a couple of bumps in the road in the Queen of the Mountains battle.
01:23Ashley Moulman-Pasio and Maeva Skibin each took ten points.
01:28The best placed of the two come the finish would wear the first polka dot jersey.
01:33Of the three in the peloton to have worn red before, Mariana Vos fancied a chance to do so again.
01:39Especially given the team Visma rider had worn the green jersey in each of the three previous editions.
01:46A rival for the points jersey, another to have donned red after stage two last year, Leticia Paternoster.
01:53But it was Franziska Koch who arrived brimming with confidence and FDJ United Suez placed her to open up at
02:01the intermediate sprint at Ponta Areas.
02:05Really keeping the pace high at the moment are FDJ United Suez.
02:10But Livalina Jacob trying to get involved.
02:11Franzi Koch opening the sprint up now.
02:13She's the German national champion, the winner of Paris-Roubaix.
02:16And she really, dearly wants these bonus seconds here and she will get them.
02:21Koch ahead of Paternoster and Adagest.
02:24Points earned and bonus seconds earned to boot.
02:29Rihanna Marcus did form a small group off the front to try and instigate something.
02:34Spanish champion Sara Martin following along as the Movistar rider hoped to shine on home roads.
02:40But despite multiple attempts, there was no successful breakaway.
02:46There was, however, trouble for Gaia Rialini.
02:49One of a trio who had worn red and was third place in 2023.
02:55But the Italian part of a group that fell off the back of the peloton.
02:59Including Olympic champion Kirsten Faulkner.
03:03The next 10km passed without much of note as the peloton started to up the pace.
03:09Yet plenty of nerves jittering, not held by a sudden stop and a hard right turn.
03:16Hitting the brakes, then having to hit the accelerator as the peloton stretched out,
03:22snaking its way along.
03:23But not long after, riders hitting the deck.
03:28Big crash here on their bent here on this left-hand bend.
03:31Sweeping bent here.
03:32A number of riders have come down.
03:34We've got a rider from Visma, Lisa by Uno X ability.
03:36Two of the riders from Livaluda Jacob, but the one from FDJ Suez is the wrong side of the barrier
03:41there.
03:42Vos and Sarah Martin among those affected by the crash.
03:45But everyone able to continue.
03:48Meanwhile, five riders finally created a small lead grouping.
03:53FDJ managing to get three riders in.
03:56Koch and Eva Van Aert alongside Juliette Perté.
04:00Ferron Prevost and Alicia Veia of Uno X were the riders able to make the jump onto their wheels.
04:09EF Education, Oatly were leading the charge to reel them in.
04:14The American outfit wanted to give Naomi Rueg the opportunity to contest the finale.
04:20And before the final four kilometres, the breakaway caught as the peloton reformed.
04:27Mariana Vos was powering through the convoy.
04:31Someone with over 250 professional wins, never going to give it up without a fight.
04:37A big pre-race favourite, but currently on the wrong side of the split.
04:42But a mammoth effort helped by Marianne Bunel dropping back to aid the recovery.
04:47Three golden Visma shirts dropping the gap to the head of the race.
04:52But was it going to be too little too late as everyone fought for position,
04:56knowing it would be crucial on the long drag in the final one kilometre?
05:04Past the Flamme Rouge, SD Works, Movistar and EF Education feeling their riders were well placed to battle for the
05:11red jersey.
05:12But who would be the first in 2026 to wear La Roja?
05:20This is the final right-hand bend there. Inside 300 metres to go.
05:23Who has got that right and who has got it wrong?
05:25The road really ramps up now towards the finish.
05:28Misha Bredewald on the front. Francie Cock in the middle of the screen there.
05:31Naomi Rueg goes for it though in the pink jersey of EF Education early.
05:35Rueg is going head-to-head with Francie Cock.
05:38Has Rueg got the legs to get the first red jersey of the race for EF Education early?
05:42She is out the saddle. She's going all the way to the line.
05:44And she has got the legs to do it. She looks around and she has time to celebrate.
05:48Continues her acceleration. Yes, she's done it.
05:51Victory there to Naomi Rueg of EF Education only.
05:55Takes the first victory here.
05:58A second stage success on La Vuelta, but after a team time trial two years ago,
06:04this the Swiss riders made an individual Grand Tour moment.
06:07A dream realised, one she didn't previously fully believe in.
06:11But her team helped to elevate her to the red jersey.
06:17Yeah, absolutely insane. I honestly can't really believe it.
06:22It's, yeah, it's just a dream, you know, to win a Grand Tour stage.
06:28A phenomenal performance as Rueg held off the might of Lotte Capecchi and Koch.
06:33Niwa Doma and Skibane just off the podium.
06:36But what a recovery from Vos to finish seventh for on Prevost, also in the top ten.
06:42A brand new La Roja wearer, Rueg also with a big opportunity to hold on to it
06:47until the mountains come into view on stage six.
06:50Koch's sprint bonus second sees her second above Capecchi.
06:56Rueg with two jerseys earned with 50 points on the finish.
07:00German champion Koch, therefore, will wear green tomorrow.
07:05Skibane finishing well above Moulman Passio to claim the first polka dots.
07:10UAE rider wanting to improve on third in the category.
07:13And last year's Tour de France femme.
07:15An explosive final as La Vuelta gets underway.
07:18Another hilly day on stage two.
07:21Do join us then.
07:22And thanks for watching.
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