A strong start for UAE Team ADQ at the 2026 Vuelta a Extremadura Femenina, which opened today with an 18.4 km individual time trial in Herrera del Duque, raced in particularly challenging weather conditions with steady rain and cold temperatures.
The Emirati team secured a double podium finish, with Australian rider Brodie Chapman taking second place and France’s Maeva Squiban finishing third at the end of a demanding race against the clock, won by Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto).
Chapman delivered a solid and consistent performance, finishing 12 seconds behind the winner, while the young French rider Squiban stopped the clock 17 seconds down, confirming herself as one of the key contenders for the overall classification of the Spanish race. There were also strong performances from two UAE Development Team riders, Fee Knaven and Celia Torres. The Dutch rider finished eighth at 44 seconds, while the Spanish rider placed ninth at 46 seconds.
Thanks to these results, UAE Team ADQ immediately positions itself among the protagonists of the general classification, with Chapman second and Squiban third with the same time gaps recorded in the stage, in a standings that remain very open ahead of the next two stages.
The Vuelta a Extremadura will continue on Saturday with the road stage finishing in Fuente del Maestre, while Sunday’s final stage, featuring a more demanding profile, could prove decisive for the overall victory.
(ph. Getty Sport)
