La Vuelta Femenina overall leader suffers crash in final kilometres of stage 2

Noemi Rüegg, the overall leader and stage 1 winner of La Vuelta Femenina, was forced to abandon the race following a crash in the closing kilometres of stage 2. The incident occurred with approximately 12 kilometres remaining, when Rüegg appeared to clip wheels with another rider, causing her and Eleonora Ciabocco, the best young rider, to crash into a roadside culvert. Both riders received immediate medical attention, but Rüegg was unable to continue. Rüegg had taken the race lead after her sprint victory on stage 1 in Salvaterra de Miño, narrowly beating Lotte Kopecky. At the start of stage 2, German rider Franziska Koch was tied on time with Rüegg, having secured a six-second time bonus earlier in the day. Koch finished second in the stage 2 sprint and subsequently took over the overall lead by six seconds, ahead of stage winner Shari Bossuyt. Eleonora Ciabocco, who was wearing the best young rider’s jersey, finished stage 2 in 62nd place, over two and a half minutes behind Bossuyt. Following the crash and the reshuffling of the classification, Lore De Schepper moved into the white jersey for the best young rider. The race remains highly competitive, with notable contenders such as Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney continuing to battle for honours. The crash and Rüegg’s withdrawal represent a significant shift in the dynamics of La Vuelta Femenina, opening up the general classification to new contenders. With the race still in its early stages, the competition is poised for further drama as riders vie for the leader’s jersey in the coming days. The incident also highlights the inherent risks of close racing in the final kilometres of stages, where positioning and split-second decisions can have major consequences.