Ainara Albert tightened her grip on the Tour El Salvador by winning stage 2 and successfully defending the overall lead on a demanding 91-kilometre route from Surf City to Sonsonate, a stage shaped as much by attrition and positioning as by outright speed.
From the moment the peloton rolled away from the Pacific coast, the day was marked by constant changes in rhythm. Long exposed sections along the Litoral highway left the bunch repeatedly riding into a stiff headwind, discouraging sustained long-range attacks but steadily draining energy. Teams were forced to ride attentively, sheltering leaders and fighting for position as the road alternated between flat coastal stretches and rolling inland terrain.
The first key selection came around kilometre 27 with the day’s only categorised climb, a sharp one-kilometre ascent that briefly lifted the pace and stretched the field. While no decisive move formed there, the effort began to thin the bunch and expose riders who were already struggling after the opening two days of racing. The pace remained high after the summit, with the peloton strung out in the wind and several riders distanced as the race pressed on towards Sonsonate.
Rather than splintering completely, the field gradually reorganised into two main groups as fatigue accumulated. The stronger teams controlled the front group carefully, aware that the stage was likely to end in a reduced sprint rather than a solo move. Protection around the race leader became increasingly visible, with Albert consistently positioned near the front, shielded from the wind and out of trouble.
As the race approached Sonsonate, the front group numbered around 30 riders. Any hopes of late attacks were neutralised by the headwind and the commitment of teams with sprint ambitions. The run-in was fast but tense, with riders jostling for wheels and trying to avoid being boxed in as the road narrowed towards the finishing straight.
In the sprint itself, Albert showed both patience and confidence. After being delivered into the final metres in good position, she launched her effort cleanly and powered past her rivals to take the stage win, reinforcing her authority in the race. Behind her, the gaps were small, reflecting just how evenly matched the front group had been after more than two hours of hard racing.
Speaking afterwards, Albert credited her team’s composure in difficult conditions. “We had to stay very focused all day,” she said. “The team defended me really well. In a race like this, you have to give everything at every moment and take it day by day because it is very demanding.”
The result not only extended Albert’s lead in the general classification but also underlined her consistency, having now backed up her performance in the opening stages with a decisive victory under pressure. Marjolein van ’t Geloof, winner of stage 1, finished safely in the lead group once again, confirming her form, while several riders lost valuable time after being caught behind the splits caused by wind and fatigue.
Attention now turns to stage 3, an 89.4-kilometre route from Quezaltepeque to the Boulevard Claudia Lars. With two categorised climbs and multiple intermediate sprints, it is widely expected to be the queen stage of the race and the most serious test yet for the overall contenders.
Tour El Salvador 2026 stage 2 results
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