Teenager Oda Aune Gissinger earns mountain jersey in WorldTour debut at Vuelta a Burgos Féminas

Norwegian teenager Oda Aune Gissinger made an impressive WorldTour debut at the Vuelta a Burgos Féminas by securing the mountain jersey on the opening stage. Alongside 20-year-old Irene Cagnazzo of Team Vini Fantini-BePink, Gissinger was part of a two-rider breakaway that dominated much of the 110km stage. Although the pair were caught 17km from the finish, setting up a bunch sprint won by Lorena Wiebes of SD Worx-Protime, their effort earned them a place on the podium and showcased Gissinger’s climbing prowess. The breakaway was initially a trio, with Elyne Roussel of St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 joining before falling behind on the first classified climb. Gissinger took control of the mountain sprints, winning all three intermediate climbs and accumulating 18 points to claim the red mountain jersey. She described the tactical battle for the jersey with Cagnazzo, who earned the stage’s combativity prize, highlighting their cooperative yet competitive dynamic throughout the stage. Looking ahead, Gissinger expressed a measured approach to defending the mountain jersey, acknowledging the challenges posed by upcoming stages. While there are no classified climbs on stage two, stages three and four offer points that could potentially alter the mountain classification, but success will likely depend on further breakaway attempts. Gissinger remains optimistic but focused on taking each day as it comes. Meanwhile, the contest for the white jersey, awarded to the best under-25 rider, appears wide open after Alena Ivanchenko of UAE Team ADQ narrowly edged out Anniina Ahtosalo in an intermediate sprint. Several young sprinters remain close in the standings, promising an intriguing battle in the coming stages. In contrast, Lorena Wiebes looks set to continue her dominance in the sprint finishes, potentially securing multiple victories early in the race.