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Nienke Veenhoven emerged as the winner of the opening stage at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina, which took place on June 19, 2026. The stage was marked by several crashes, leading to a reduced group sprint where Veenhoven secured victory. She was followed by her teammate, Marianne Vos, who took second place after noticing Veenhoven's wheel during the final push to the line. Valentine Fortin from Cofidis finished third in Santa Susanna.
Veenhoven commented on the stage, stating, "The start was quite hard, and a lot of teams worked to get in the breakaway ahead of the climbs. Luckily, we managed to come over it, and we had a really nice plan for the final." She credited the teamwork displayed, particularly noting Margaux Vigié's long pull that contributed significantly to their success.
With this victory, Veenhoven will wear the leader's jersey as the race continues into the second stage set for Saturday, featuring a 130km route from Sant Vicenç de Castellet to La Molina.
The 5th edition of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina kicked off with a 91.9km race departing from and arriving back in Santa Susanna. The stage was primarily flat, with two category 3 climbs: Coll del Pollastre (2.4km at 2.8%) and Alt de Collsacreu (3.1km at 5.7%) that challenged the competitors throughout the race.
The field at the start included five top-tier teams, which largely remained intact until the first ascent. A breakaway formed featuring Laura Molenaar (VolkerWessels), Constance Valentin (Mayenne Monbana My Pie), and Aranza Valentina Villalón (Eneicat-Be Call). Molenaar managed to distance her companions halfway up the second ascent of Alt de Collsacreu.
Despite her efforts, Molenaar’s lead began to dwindle as FDJ United-SUEZ helped to pull the peloton forward in the final stretch. Although she managed to sustain an 11-second lead over the top of the Coll del Pollastre, her situation appeared precarious as the peloton gathered speed with 13km to go. Disruptive crashes occurred with 7.4km remaining, yet all riders involved managed to finish safely.
As the sprint unfolded, Molenaar was ultimately caught with 3 kilometers to go. However, another crash within the last kilometer through a left-hand turn split the field, but Visma-Lease a Bike maintained control, leading Veenhoven to a successful victory.
Source : cyclingnews.com.