Dutch rider Mischa Bredewold claimed victory in the fifth stage of the women’s Vuelta a España on Thursday in Astorga (León), outsprinting her SD Worx teammate Lotte Kopecky of Belgium, who maintained the red leader’s jersey in the general classification.
Kopecky, winner of the latest Milan-San Remo and world road race champion in 2023 and 2024, took the overall lead in the Vuelta on Wednesday after winning the fourth stage, having finished second in both the opening stage on Sunday and the third stage on Tuesday.
The Belgian rider boasts one of the most impressive résumés in the international women’s peloton, with stage wins in all three Grand Tours, in addition to wearing the yellow leader’s jersey of the Tour de France for six days in 2024.
On Friday, the peloton will face climbing challenges with the first of two mountain stages that will conclude this edition of the Vuelta. The route covers 106 kilometers between Gijón and the summit of Les Praeres. The race will finish on Saturday with a stage that includes the fearsome Angliru climb, famous for its sections exceeding a 20% gradient.