Franziska Koch kept the red jersey after Stage 3 of La Vuelta Femenina 2026, but the top of the general classification tightened again after Cédrine Kerbaol’s late attack in A Coruña and another strong finish from Lotte Kopecky.
Kerbaol won the stage with a perfectly timed move in the final kilometres, giving EF Education-Oatly their second stage victory of the race after Noemi Rüegg’s opening-day win. Kopecky finished 2nd and Sarah Van Dam took 3rd, while Koch came home safely in the reduced front group to keep the overall lead.
The margins are now extremely small. Koch leads on 9:03:43, with Kopecky only two seconds behind and Kerbaol four seconds back after her stage victory. Évita Muzic and Van Dam are both 14 seconds down, while Loes Adegeest sits at 16 seconds. The wider GC group remains closely packed before the race leaves Galicia and heads towards the decisive mountain stages later in the week.
For more on the route still to come, our La Vuelta Femenina 2026 full route guide breaks down the remaining stages, including Les Praeres and the Angliru.
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 GC after stage 3
Koch’s grip on red is now much smaller than it looked after Stage 2. She still leads the race, but Kopecky’s finish in A Coruña brought the Belgian within two seconds. That leaves the race lead vulnerable on Stage 4, especially if the next day again comes down to bonus seconds or a reduced uphill finish.
Kerbaol’s win also reshaped the top three. She had already been close enough to remain in the GC conversation, but the combination of her stage victory, a small finish gap and bonus seconds lifted her to 3rd overall at just four seconds. It is a strong recovery for EF Education-Oatly after losing Rüegg to a shoulder fracture on Stage 2.
Behind them, Muzic remains well placed for FDJ-Suez at 14 seconds, giving the team two riders near the front of the race. Van Dam also moves into a stronger position after taking 3rd on the stage, while Adegeest stays inside the top six after another consistent day.
The climbing specialists are still close enough to matter. Liane Lippert, Paula Blasi, Anna van der Breggen, Monica Trinca Colonel, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, Kasia Niewiadoma and Pauline Ferrand-Prévot remain within striking distance before the steeper terrain arrives. The early days have been unpredictable, but the race is still waiting for its first true mountain selection.
General classification top 10 after stage 3
- Franziska Koch, FDJ-Suez, 9:03:43
- Lotte Kopecky, SD Worx-Protime, +2
- Cédrine Kerbaol, EF Education-Oatly, +4
- Évita Muzic, FDJ-Suez, +14
- Sarah Van Dam, Team Visma | Lease a Bike, +14
- Loes Adegeest, Lidl-Trek, +16
- Liane Lippert, Movistar, +18
- Paula Blasi, UAE Team ADQ, +18
- Anna van der Breggen, SD Worx-Protime, +18
- Monica Trinca Colonel, Liv AlUla Jayco, +18
Red jersey after stage 3
Koch remains the race leader after Stage 3, but only just. Her total time of 9:03:43 keeps her in red, two seconds ahead of Kopecky and four ahead of Kerbaol.
That narrow margin changes the dynamic before Stage 4. FDJ-Suez still have the jersey, and Muzic remains close on GC, but Koch can no longer rely on even a small cushion. Bonus seconds alone could be enough to change the race lead if Kopecky or Kerbaol place well again.
Koch’s consistency has been excellent so far. She was 3rd on Stage 1, 2nd on Stage 2 and stayed close enough on Stage 3 to protect the jersey. The question now is whether that consistency can survive the more selective terrain still to come.
Photo Credit: Aritz ArambarriGreen jersey after stage 3
Koch also remains at the front of the points classification after Stage 3. Because she continues in the red jersey, Kopecky is set to wear green on Stage 4 as the next eligible rider in the competition.
Kopecky’s day was valuable even without a stage win. She finished 2nd in A Coruña, moved to within two seconds of the overall lead and strengthened her position in the points standings. After frustration on the opening two stages, she now has the green jersey on her shoulders and a realistic chance of taking red if the next finish again rewards the fast, powerful riders.
The points competition remains closely linked to the GC because the early stages have rewarded riders who can survive hard finishes rather than pure sprinters alone. That pattern may continue on Stage 4, which again looks capable of producing a reduced sprint or late attack.
Photo Credit: Aritz ArambarriMountains jersey after stage 3
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio takes over the mountains jersey after Stage 3, moving level on 10 points but ahead in the classification. Maëva Squiban had worn the jersey after the opening two stages, but Moolman Pasio is now the rider in polka dots.
There were no categorised climbs on Stage 3, so the change comes through the classification order rather than new mountain points being added. It is still significant because Moolman Pasio is one of the stronger climbers in the race, and the route is about to become much more suited to riders who can contest that competition seriously.
With Les Praeres and the Angliru still to come, the mountains classification should change shape dramatically later in the week. For now, Moolman Pasio gives AG Insurance-Soudal another visible jersey after a strong opening phase of the race.
Photo Credit: Aritz ArambarriWhite jersey after stage 3
Lore De Schepper remains the best young rider after Stage 3 and will continue in the white jersey. She finished safely in the front group and now sits on 9:04:01, only 18 seconds behind Koch overall.
That is a strong position after three demanding days. De Schepper has avoided the crashes and splits that have already removed or damaged several riders, and she remains close enough to the front of the race to keep the white jersey battle firmly under control for now.
It is also another useful result for AG Insurance-Soudal, who now hold the white jersey through De Schepper and the mountains jersey through Moolman Pasio.
Team classification after stage 3
UAE Team ADQ continue to lead the team classification after Stage 3, with a total time of 27:12:03.
Their consistency remains the key. Paula Blasi is still inside the top 10 overall, Mavi Garcia remains close to the main GC group, and the team continues to place several riders near the front when the race becomes selective. They have not yet taken a stage win, but their depth is showing clearly across the classifications.
That could become even more important as the race moves towards the mountains. Team classification leads can disappear quickly once the climbs become steeper, but UAE Team ADQ have the kind of climbing depth that should keep them in the contest.
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Photo Credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Toni Baixauli
What the standings mean before stage 4
The race is still wide open before Stage 4. Koch holds red, but Kopecky is only two seconds down and Kerbaol is only four seconds back after a stage win that has brought EF Education-Oatly back into the centre of the race.
Stage 4 from Monforte de Lemos to Antas de Ulla should be another awkward day rather than a simple transition stage. The route is officially hilly and ends with a slightly rising finish, which means bonus seconds could again influence the top of the general classification.
For the deeper GC contenders, the aim remains the same: stay close, avoid crashes and wait for the climbing stages. But after three days, La Vuelta Femenina 2026 has already shown that even supposedly manageable stages can create major consequences. Rüegg and Vos are out, Koch’s lead is down to two seconds, and Kerbaol has turned EF’s disappointment into another stage win.
Our La Vuelta Femenina 2026 stage 4 preview looks at the next route and likely contenders, while the La Vuelta Femenina 2026 contenders preview tracks the wider GC picture before the decisive climbs.
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 jersey leaders after stage 3
- Red jersey: Franziska Koch, FDJ-Suez
- Green jersey leader: Franziska Koch, FDJ-Suez
- Green jersey wearer on Stage 4: Lotte Kopecky, SD Worx-Protime
- Mountains jersey: Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, AG Insurance-Soudal
- White jersey: Lore De Schepper, AG Insurance-Soudal
- Team classification: UAE Team ADQ
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 Stage 3 Result
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