The sprint that decided the second stage of La Vuelta, ending with victory for Belgian rider Shari Bossuyt.
With just over a kilometer and a half to go before reaching the town of San Cibrao das Viñas in Ourense, a zone of rolling hills and wide roads, Paula Blasi decided to test the waters. She launched an offensive move in the second stage of the Vuelta a España Femenina, hoping to split the peloton and catch any rival off guard. The pace was hovering around 33 km/h when the Catalan rider struck, aiming to shake the tree and see if any rider would fall like ripe fruit in the wind.
In the blink of an eye, thanks to Blasi’s aggressive surge, the top contenders locked onto her wheel like students eager to be the teacher’s pet. No one gave her an inch of breathing room. They were not about to let her spring a surprise—an opportunity that comes perhaps once in a lifetime, much like the one she seized last month when she won the Amstel Gold Race and introduced her name to the cycling world.
Franziska Koch, the new race leader, on the podium.
It was only a fleeting moment, a show of class to remind everyone of her quality. Riders like Kasia Niewiadoma, Anna van der Breggen, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, and Lotte Kopecky slotted into her slipstream without a single meter of grace. The day was not for jokes, and the second stage had already seen several crashes. By the finish, only 36 riders remained in the lead group, proof of how tough the day had been, with rain showers along the way. Belgian sprinter Shari Bossuyt of AG Insurance—the women’s version of Soudal, where Mikel Landa’s teammate Mireia Benito also rides, alongside Urska Zigart, partner of Tadej Pogacar—took the stage in a bunch sprint.
The general classification.
Unfortunately, accidents marred the day. Swiss rider Noemi Rüegg, who wore the leader’s red jersey after winning the opening stage, was forced to abandon. There was the usual consent breakaway, a few unsuccessful late attacks, and a new leader: German rider Franzi Koch, winner of Paris-Roubaix, took over the red jersey thanks to time bonuses. In the overall standings, Paula Blasi now sits in tenth place, a position where it is very difficult to shine alone and without serious climbing to deliver a knockout blow. Her move was more about showcasing her caliber than trying to win the race outright.
On Tuesday, the women’s Vuelta will arrive in A Coruña from Padrón in a third stage covering 121 kilometers with some short climbs toward the end.
