Lidl-Trek opened their 2025 La Vuelta Femenina campaign with a perfectly executed win in the team time trial, repeating their success from 2024. Ellen van Dijk was the first to cross the line in Barcelona after her team covered the flat 8.1km course in 9:30, edging out SD Worx-Protime and Liv AlUla Jayco by three seconds. The result handed Van Dijk the first red jersey of this year’s race.
The Dutch rider called it a “phenomenal” performance, built on strong preparation and a sharp execution of their plan. “We really wanted this win,” she said. “We had the whole team going for this, not just the riders, but the entire staff. When it works out, it’s so nice to celebrate together.”
Fast, flat and tight through Barcelona
The stage took place on a pan-flat circuit in the Eixample district of Barcelona, with long, wide roads and a tight U-turn at halfway. Starting and finishing on Passeig de Gràcia, teams followed a simple out-and-back format, making the time check at 4.1km a key marker. With the race just 8.1km long, every small detail mattered.
Lotto Ladies were first down the ramp and set the opening benchmark of 10:07. Cofidis improved that to 9:57, before Picnic PostNL smashed through the ten-minute mark with 9:39. Their average speed of 50.7km/h put them in the hot seat for the first part of the day.
Movistar, AG Insurance-Soudal and Human Powered Health all fell short, while Visma | Lease a Bike had a disastrous start, losing time immediately and finishing 12 seconds down after bike checks from previous teams overran. Picnic PostNL’s lead looked increasingly solid as the afternoon wore on.
Liv AlUla Jayco and Lidl-Trek go faster
The next challenge came from Liv AlUla Jayco. With Mavi García in their line-up, they hit the turnaround point in 4:58 and continued to build speed on the return leg, finishing in 9:33 to go top of the leaderboard. But it didn’t last long.
Lidl-Trek, riding with time trial specialists Riejanne Markus, Anna Henderson, Emma Norsgaard and Van Dijk, started just after and turned in a faster second half. They had been a second down at halfway, but accelerated to take the stage win with a time of 9:30.
SD Worx-Protime were the only remaining threat. Five seconds down at the time check, they clawed back some ground but crossed the line in 9:33, matching Jayco’s time but still three seconds adrift of Lidl-Trek.
FDJ-SUEZ were also in contention, just two seconds behind Lidl-Trek at the midpoint. But a crash from Vittoria Guazzini on the U-turn derailed their rhythm. Though she remounted, the team’s pace suffered, and they stopped the clock at 9:36 to take fourth place.
Photo Credit: GettyRed jersey for Van Dijk after a lead role
Lidl-Trek’s win was a team effort, but the red jersey was reserved for Van Dijk. The team had agreed beforehand that she would be the one to finish first.
“Jeroen [Blijlevens, team director] told me before the start, ‘It would be nice if you cross the line first.’ It worked out perfectly,” Van Dijk said. “I feel honoured. It’s not my jersey, it’s the team’s jersey.”
Van Dijk had unfinished business with La Vuelta. A crash during last year’s TTT forced her to abandon the race early, despite her team’s win. This time, she got to enjoy the moment fully, lifting the winner’s trophy and wearing the leader’s jersey.
Picnic PostNL and Czapla also make their mark
Picnic PostNL’s early ride proved enough to take fifth, ahead of Canyon SRAM zondacrypto who matched their split but faded slightly to finish eight seconds back.
There was also a standout performance from Justyna Czapla, who led the U23 classification on the day. Riding in her first grand tour and her first team time trial at this level, she helped Canyon SRAM to sixth overall and earned the Best Young Rider trophy.
“I’m so, so happy. This is my first time ever leading in a stage race,” she said. “We worked really well together. I surprised myself with how strong I felt.”
Van Dijk now carries the red jersey into Monday’s 99km stage from Molins de Rei to Sant Boi de Llobregat, which includes over 1,500m of elevation on twisting coastal roads. From here, her role will shift back to domestique, supporting Markus and Niamh Fisher-Black in Lidl-Trek’s broader GC ambitions.
Photo Credit: Unipublic/Antonio Baixauli/Cxcling Creative Agency2025 La Vuelta Femenina Stage 1 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
