There were only 2200 metres to go to the finish, the most difficult part was actually over. But when Kerbaol started, no one behind her reacted. She saved the resulting gap by crossing the finish line to take her tenth career victory. She had won a stage of the Tour de France Femmes in a similar manner two years ago, even if the route to the finish was a little longer there. This is the second victory for her team in the Tour of Spain this year. After the opening winner Noemi Rüegg crashed out of the race yesterday in the leader's jersey, it remains a rollercoaster ride for the American team.

Kerbaol said as much in her winner's statement. "We were so happy when Noemi rode into the red jersey and so down when she had to abandon yesterday. We thought a lot about ourselves today. It was a day full of emotions," said the 24-year-old French time trial champion.

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx - Protime) won the chasing sprint ahead of Sarah Van Dam (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) and Liane Lippert (Movistar Team). Koch was also part of the group and thus defended the overall lead, albeit by a wafer-thin margin. Kopecky was only two seconds behind thanks to bonuses. However, just like the Belgian, the German champion was no longer part of the lead group and struggled to catch up with the favourites after 121 kilometres from Padrón to A Coruña without a categorised mountain classification, but with poisonous waves in the finale.

Vuelta Femenina 2026 - Results of the 3rd stage

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How the 3rd stage of the Vuelta Femenina 2026 went

While the first two days began rather cautiously, the 3rd stage saw an attack from the start. Shortly after the start, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Lidl - Trek) and Sterre Vervloet (Lotto Intermarché Ladies) broke away. A trio led by Katia Ragusa (Human Powered Health) then fought to catch up, but never managed to close the gap. While the leading duo had extended their lead to three and a half minutes after 35 kilometres, the chasers fell back into the field.

By the time the first half of the day had been covered, the gap had dropped back below two minutes. The gap then remained constant over the next 20 kilometres. However, Vervloet was no longer able to keep up with Wilson. However, the peloton had the breakaway under control at all times. However, the 2023 junior world time trial champion just made it over the intermediate sprint 17 kilometres before the finish. Koepcky and Koch collected the additional bonus seconds there.

Niewiadoma tests the competition

On a wave 14 kilometres before the finish, Kasia Niewiadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) really pushed the pace and reduced the field to 20 women. Koch also lost the connection to the first group, but came back like other women. On the other side, Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly), who had built up a lead of a few metres, was brought back.

It remained undulating in the finale, and there were repeated attacks. Kerbaol found the right moment when she rode away from the group with momentum 2200 metres before the finish. There was no reaction. And so the 100 metres that the Frenchwoman had quickly gained were to last until the finish.