It played into the German champion's hands that Noemi Rüegg (EF Education-Oatly) crashed through her own fault just twelve kilometres before the finish and had to abandon the race. This meant that Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx - Protime) was the biggest rival for the top position in the final classification. Although Koch was also unable to ride her sprint as planned after a short 110 kilometres from Lobios to San Cibrao das Viñas in Galicia, Kopecky apparently had technical problems in the final metres and was unable to make any real inroads.

Instead, it was her compatriot Bossuyt who won. For the 25-year-old, it was the third and biggest victory of her career, but it also cast a shadow. Bossuyt, then riding for Canyon//SRAM, tested positive for the banned drug letrozole in March 2023 and was subsequently banned for two years. She did not appeal against the judgement, but pointed out that food contamination was the reason for the substance in her blood. After her ban expired, she rode for her current team from June 2025.

"I didn't expect to win here at all," said a visibly perplexed Bossuyt, who had already shed a few tears beforehand. "I was a long way back at times and didn't have a good feeling at the end. It's crazy, I have to let it sink in first."

Koch's joy prevails: no victory on the day, but red

Koch, on the other hand, knew very well what she had achieved. Beaming with joy, she realised immediately after crossing the finish line that she was now leading the overall classification by six seconds ahead of the day's winner and ten seconds ahead of Kopecky. "I actually thought I was in a good position for the sprint, but then those in front of me just stopped sprinting. That was a bit unlucky, but so was Kopecky. No final is perfect," she said and was much happier about red than the fact that she missed out on the day's victory, which could have caused disillusionment after she had already sprinted onto the podium at the start.

Koch's team-mate Evita Muzic finished third, while Liane Lippert (Movistar Team) was the second German to make it into the day's top 10. As no mountain points were awarded on the road, Maeva Squiban (UAE Team ADQ) also kept her mountain jersey, as she still did better than Asleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance - Soudal Team), who finished fifth. Through Lore De Schepper, this team also took the lead in the young rider classification, as Rüegg's crash also took out Eleonora Ciabocco (Team Picnic PostNL), who finished the race but finished well behind the leaders.

Vuelta Femenina 2026 - Results of the 2nd stage

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How the 2nd stage of the Vuelta Femenina 2026 went

Without Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), who broke her collarbone in a crash the day before and still managed to finish seventh in the uphill sprint, and Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Intermarché Ladies), who didn't finish the opening stage, the peloton set off on a short 109 kilometres. But despite a moderate pace, it took a long time for a leading group to form.

Only after more than 50 kilometres did a quintet break away in Carina Schrempf (Fenix-Premier Tech) from Austria and the Belgian Julie Van De Velde (AG Insurance - Soudal Team), who were able to pull out a lead of almost one and a half minutes. However, the group fell apart again relatively quickly and the last three women in the group were dropped 27 kilometres into the race on the initiative of Lidl-Trek.

This was followed by further breakaway attempts, including Franziska Koch (FDJ United - Suez). The pace increased due to actions like this and some riders at the back of the peloton fell back. However, no one was able to get away at the front.

Just twelve kilometres before the finish, Rüegg crashed for no apparent reason. She took Ciabocco with her. Rüegg was unable to continue. Shortly before that, Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) had secretly stolen away. It also started to rain in the final. Five kilometres before the finish, the Norwegian had opened up a 20-second gap, but part of the final kilometres were uphill.

SD Worx - Protime worked to reduce the gap. At three kilometres, the peloton attacked and Aalerud's attempt failed. The group became small up to the highest point. Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) tore a hole shortly beforehand, but the five women, including Niewiadoma and Lippert, did not follow through. And so it came to a sprint from a large group, out of which Bossuyt ultimately won by more than a bike length ahead of Koch.