The Angliru is not merely a climb. it is a psychological and physical crucible. In the world of professional cycling, few stretches of tarmac demand as much from the human spirit as this brutal ascent, where the gradient often defies logic and the riders’ resolve is stripped bare. On Saturday, the final stage of La Vuelta Femenina transformed this mountain into a stage for a changing of the guard.
While Petra Stiasny claimed a brilliant stage victory, the real story unfolded in the battle for the red jersey. Paula Blasi, a 23-year-old Spaniard riding for UAE Team ADQ, didn’t just win the general classification; she announced herself as the new protagonist of the women’s peloton. In a dramatic reversal of fortune, Blasi wrested the lead from the legendary Anna van der Breggen, proving that the gap between the established icons and the rising stars has never been narrower.
For those who have followed the sport through the oscillations of the last few seasons, this edition of the Vuelta served as a critical barometer. It revealed who has successfully navigated the transition into the 2026 season and who is still searching for the form that once defined them. From the strategic pivots of Lotte Kopecky to the grueling recovery of Kasia Niewiadoma, the race provided five definitive conclusions about the current state of women’s cycling.
Paula Blasi and the Changing of the Guard
If 2025 was the year Paula Blasi became a name to watch, 2026 is the year she became a force to be feared. The Spaniard’s trajectory over the last few months has been nothing short of meteoric. After winning three 1.1-ranked events last season, Blasi entered this year with a level of aggression and efficiency that caught the peloton off guard.
Her dominance began early in January at the Santos Tour Down Under, where she secured the mountains classification and a third-place overall finish. By April, she was beating the sport’s most decorated veterans to take the Amstel Gold Race, followed by a podium finish at Flèche Wallonne. However, the Vuelta Femenina was the ultimate test of her endurance. By maintaining a disciplined rhythm on the Angliru, Blasi avoided the “blow up” that claimed so many of her rivals.
“I just tried to stay focused and calm,” Blasi said following her victory. “When I saw Anna van der Breggen was struggling a bit, it gave me extra motivation, but I still tried not to go too deep.” This maturity—the ability to recognize a rival’s weakness without overextending—is what separates a talented climber from a Grand Tour winner.
The Paradox of Anna van der Breggen’s Return
For Anna van der Breggen, the Vuelta was a bittersweet confirmation of her enduring class. The 36-year-old’s return to the sport in 2025 after a three-year retirement was one of the most discussed narratives in cycling. Her performance on Friday’s stage atop Les Praeres was a throwback to her era of absolute domination; she didn’t rely on team tactics or strategic drafting, but simply rode her rivals off her wheel.
However, the Angliru exposed the physical toll of such a dominant effort. Starting the final stage with a slim eight-second lead, van der Breggen lost contact four kilometers from the summit. While she fought back in the final steep sections to limit the gap to 24 seconds on the climb itself, the damage was done. The red jersey slipped away, leaving her with a sense of frustration but a renewed sense of confidence.
The conclusion here is clear: van der Breggen is no longer the untouchable force of a decade ago, but she is once again a legitimate contender for the highest steps of the podium. Her ability to fight for a Grand Tour victory after years away from the saddle provides a blueprint for longevity in the sport.
A Concerning Dip for the Tour Favorites
While Blasi and van der Breggen fought for the top spot, other heavyweights struggled in ways that may alarm their supporters. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, who dominated the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, was a shadow of her former self in the mountains. Her collapse on the Angliru was staggering, losing over 13 minutes and plummeting to 35th overall before eventually withdrawing from the race due to a lack of fitness.
Similarly, Kasia Niewiadoma finished eighth a respectable result on paper but one that felt underwhelming given her pedigree. Niewiadoma’s struggles on the steepest gradients appeared to be a lingering consequence of her crash on the Cipressa during Milan-San Remo, which sidelined her for nearly a month. While she showed strength in the Ardennes Classics, the long, sustained climbs of the Vuelta revealed a deficit in her peak climbing condition.
| Rider | Final GC Position | Key Achievement/Note |
|---|---|---|
| Paula Blasi | 1st | Overall Winner (Red Jersey) |
| Anna van der Breggen | 2nd | Stage win at Les Praeres |
| Kasia Niewiadoma | 8th | Recovering from Cipressa fall |
| Lotte Kopecky | 43rd | Green Jersey & Stage Win |
| P. Ferrand-Prévot | DNS (Final) | Struggled with mountain form |
Lotte Kopecky’s Strategic Pivot
Perhaps the most human story of the race was that of Lotte Kopecky. After a frustrating 2025 season where efforts to shed body fat for the mountains led to a “conservation mode” that sapped her strength, the world champion has fundamentally changed her approach. Kopecky has stopped trying to mimic the physique of a pure climber, instead embracing her natural muscularity.
The results of this pivot have been immediate. Kopecky dominated the spring, winning Nokere Koerse and Milan-San Remo. In the Vuelta, while she was never a threat for the general classification—dropping to 43rd on the first major mountain stage—she was devastating in the sprints and mid-mountain transitions. Her victory into Antas de Ulla and her subsequent capture of the green jersey prove that by playing to her strengths rather than fighting her biology, she has regained her edge.
The Road to the Tour de France Femmes
The Vuelta Femenina serves as the ultimate dress rehearsal for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. The conclusions drawn here create a fascinating setup for August. We now know that Paula Blasi is a legitimate GC threat, and that Anna van der Breggen has the legs to compete, provided she manages her efforts across a multi-stage race.
The big questions remain centered on the recovery of Ferrand-Prévot, and Niewiadoma. With nearly three months until the Tour, both riders have a window to regain the form that made them champions. The peloton now enters a critical training block, with all eyes on the official team rosters and pre-Tour tune-up races.
Do you think Paula Blasi can translate her Vuelta success to the Tour de France Femmes, or was this a home-turf anomaly? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
