Marianne Vos has the strongest finish in Vuelta Femenina after fan spectacle and takes second stage victory, Demi Vollering retains leader’s jersey

Marianne Vos has won her second stage victory in the Vuelta Femenina. Crosswinds ensured that a small group headed towards the tough final kilometer, in which Vos clearly had the strongest final shot. Demi Vollering came fourth and remains the leader.

After two mountain stages, today it was time for a flat stage in the Vuelta Femenina, but one with a tough finish: the last five hundred meters were steeply uphill. Ideal for punchers.

Due to the strong wind that prevailed all day, it was anything but a quiet day in the heart of the peloton. Just under forty kilometers from the finish, the riders got the wind in their sides and that could only mean one thing: fans! Vollering, Vos and Longo Borghini: the most important riders had survived the battle. Only Kastelijn, who was ninth in the general classification, ended up in a second echelon and had to chase.

Due to Movistar’s executioner work, the first group became smaller and smaller: the group was no longer large at more than thirty riders. They would fight for the stage victory, because the second group was stuck at one minute. In the last ten kilometers, Marlen Reusser from Team SD Worx – Protime, among others, tried to attack a few times, but she could not get away. Because there was a constant standstill after the attacks, the second platoon came back within half a minute, but it would no longer be possible to connect.

Four kilometers from the finish, an attack was given some scope. Mischa Bredewold, Alison Jackson, Lily Williams and Silke Smulders tried to anticipate, but their attack was also quickly canceled out. The tough final kilometer would decide victory or loss. Vollering was too far, Longo Borghini and Vos were well positioned. The latter still had the most in her legs and took her second stage victory of this Vuelta by a length lead.