The first true mountain stage of La Vuelta Femenina, with a summit finish at Lagunas de Neila, demanded maximum effort from all the riders. Kudos to Erica Magnaldi, who delivered a solid performance and secured a place in the day’s top 30.
The stage started under threatening skies and persistent rain at the departure from Golmayo. Although the weather seemed ominous at first, the rain eased for most of the 120.4 km course, allowing the peloton some relief.
Unfortunately, Lizzie Holden was forced to abandon the race. Maeva Squiban was involved in a crash and bravely rode the entire second half of the stage with significant pain in her shoulder. Alena Ivanchenko fought hard to stay in the race as long as she could. Lara Gillespie gave her best effort, even though the mountainous terrain didn’t suit her strengths.
Erica Magnaldi remained in the lead group until just over 20 kilometers from the finish. As the pace intensified on the double ascent to Lagunas de Neila, she dug deep and crossed the line in 26th place – a commendable result on such a demanding stage.
(ph. @gettysport)
