Noemi Rüegg won the first stage of La Vuelta Femenina 26 by Carrefour.es, decided by an uphill sprint in Salvaterra de Miño. The Swiss rider overpowered Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx-Protime) and Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) in the final two hundred metres to reward the excellent work of her EF Education-Oatly teammates throughout the stage. This is arguably the best victory to date for the 25-year-old sprinter, who came to the Spanish grand tour following an excellent start to the season.
Noemi Rüegg also became the leader of the overall standings, tied with FDJ’s Franziska Koch, who scored six bonus seconds in the day’s intermediate sprint to fall just short of claiming La Roja. Despite the many splits throughout the day, no meaningful gaps were created in the GC, which will continue to take shape in Monday’s second stage between Lobios and San Cibrao das Viñas, which also features an uphill finish seemingly well-suited to Noemi Rüegg’s qualities.
(source: press office A.S.O. – images: © A.S.O./Cxcling Creative Agency/Aritz Arambarri)
