AG Insurance–Soudal lines up for La Vuelta España Femenina off the back of a confident spring campaign, aiming to carry that form into the first Grand Tour of the season. From 4th to 10th May, the Belgian team will target results on a variety of terrains with a line-up built around climbing strength, sprint potential and experienced road captains.
After Kim Le Court’s landmark victory at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, morale is high, and the team brings a balanced seven-rider squad to Spain: Mireia Benito, Julia Borgström, Justine Ghekiere, Marthe Goossens, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Julie Van De Velde and Urska Zigart.
The race opens with an 8.1 km team time trial in Barcelona. While it’s unlikely to shape the GC significantly, the stage offers an early test of cohesion and pace. From there, the route moves between sprint stages, rolling classics-style days and two summit finishes, Lagunas de Neila on stage 5 and Cotobello on the final day. It’s here that Moolman-Pasio and Zigart will aim to test themselves against the best climbers in the peloton.
“We start with a strong team in this first Grand Tour of the year,” said sports director Stijn Steels. “In the sprint stages we can try something with Marthe and Julia, but also on the days where there are some climbs on the parcours we can be visible, depending on the scenario. Regarding the big mountain stages, Ashleigh and Urska are our two riders who will try to be up there.”
Photo Credit: Sprint Cycling AgencyFor Moolman-Pasio, La Vuelta offers a clear GC opportunity. The South African has the climbing pedigree to perform on long gradients and, with support from the likes of Ghekiere and Van De Velde, she’ll have the freedom to focus on positioning and energy management ahead of the summit finishes.
Zigart, who continues to refine her GC credentials, will also be targeting the high mountain days. After a solid spring and increasing consistency in stage races, the Slovenian will be looking to test herself on both Lagunas de Neila and the Alto de Cotobello, which features sustained ramps above 10 per cent in the final kilometres.
On flatter days, the team will turn to Goossens and Borgström. Both have shown speed and tenacity in difficult finales this season, and stages 3 and 6 offer realistic chances to contest late selection sprints from reduced groups.
The focus, however, is as much about collective performance as individual outcomes. AG Insurance–Soudal arrives with riders capable of shaping stages, supporting GC ambitions and capitalising on late race openings. Whether it’s a top GC placing, a breakout performance in the climbs, or sprint consistency from their fast finishers, AG Insurance–Soudal is ready to race La Vuelta on the front foot.
