Franziska Koch moved into the red jersey after Stage 2 of La Vuelta Femenina 2026, continuing a strong opening to the race for FDJ-Suez after another tense and crash-hit day in Galicia. Shari Bossuyt won the stage in San Cibrao das Viñas, but Koch’s 2nd place was enough to take the overall lead after previous race leader Noemi Rüegg abandoned following a late crash.
It was a significant reshaping of the race after only two stages. Rüegg had taken red with her Stage 1 victory in Salvaterra de Miño, but her exit means the early general classification has already changed hands. Marianne Vos had also left the race with a broken collarbone after her Stage 1 crash, leaving La Vuelta Femenina without two of the riders who had shaped the opening story.
Koch now leads the race overall on 5:49:24, six seconds ahead of Stage 2 winner Bossuyt. Lotte Kopecky sits 3rd at 10 seconds, despite being relegated in the Stage 2 sprint, while Évita Muzic is 4th at 12 seconds after finishing 3rd on the stage. Loes Adegeest rounds out the top five at 14 seconds.
For more on how the race route builds towards the mountain stages, our La Vuelta Femenina 2026 full route guide breaks down all seven stages.
Photo Credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Aritz ArambarriLa Vuelta Femenina 2026 GC after stage 2
Koch’s move into red is built on consistency rather than one isolated moment. She was already 3rd on Stage 1, then backed that up with 2nd on Stage 2, taking six bonus seconds at the finish in San Cibrao das Viñas. That combination has put her into the race lead before the flatter Stage 3 to A Coruña.
Bossuyt’s stage win also moves her firmly into the early GC picture. At six seconds down, she is close enough to be a realistic threat if the next stage again comes down to time bonuses. Kopecky remains well placed at 10 seconds, while Muzic’s podium finish lifts her into 4th overall and gives FDJ-Suez two riders inside the top four.
The bigger GC contenders are still tightly grouped behind them. Maëva Squiban, Anna van der Breggen, Monica Trinca Colonel, Liane Lippert and Paula Blasi are all at 16 seconds. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Sarah Van Dam, Kasia Niewiadoma, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, Cédrine Kerbaol, Juliette Labous and Mavi Garcia are also still close enough that the race remains almost completely open before the harder climbing days.
General classification top 10 after stage 2
- Franziska Koch, FDJ-Suez, 5:49:24
- Shari Bossuyt, AG Insurance-Soudal, +6
- Lotte Kopecky, SD Worx-Protime, +10
- Évita Muzic, FDJ-Suez, +12
- Loes Adegeest, Lidl-Trek, +14
- Maëva Squiban, UAE Team ADQ, +16
- Anna van der Breggen, SD Worx-Protime, +16
- Monica Trinca Colonel, Liv AlUla Jayco, +16
- Liane Lippert, Movistar, +16
- Paula Blasi, UAE Team ADQ, +16
Red jersey after stage 2
Koch leads the general classification after Stage 2 and will wear the red jersey on Stage 3. Her race has been impressively efficient so far: 3rd on the opening uphill finish, then 2nd in another reduced sprint the following day.
The gap is still small, but the way Koch has reached the lead is important. FDJ-Suez have looked organised through two awkward stages, and Muzic’s rise to 4th overall gives the team more than one strong position to defend. Koch is not yet in a commanding position, but she has turned the opening two days into a useful platform.
Green jersey after stage 2
Koch also leads the points classification on 75 points, but because she will wear the red jersey, Bossuyt is set to wear green on Stage 3 as the next highest rider in that competition.
That feels fitting after Bossuyt’s Stage 2 win. The AG Insurance-Soudal rider took the sprint in San Cibrao das Viñas after surviving a hard, selective day, and her victory pushed her up to 2nd overall as well as into the green jersey picture.
Kopecky remains within range in the points competition, but the opening two stages have not quite gone her way. She was close on Stage 1 and again involved on Stage 2, only for the sprint to unravel and end in relegation. Stage 3 to A Coruña could give her another chance if the race finally produces a cleaner fast finish.
Photo Credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Aritz ArambarriMountains jersey after stage 2
Maëva Squiban remains the leader of the mountains classification on 10 points, keeping the climber’s jersey for UAE Team ADQ.
There were no categorised climbs on Stage 2, so the work done on the opening day still shapes the standings. Squiban took maximum points over Alto do Cruceiro on Stage 1 and finished the day level on points with Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, but held the jersey thanks to her higher stage placing. With no mountain points available on Stage 2, she keeps it into Stage 3.
The jersey battle should become more active again once the route returns to hillier terrain, especially with the race still heading towards much more decisive climbing later in the week.
Photo Credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Aritz ArambarriWhite jersey after stage 2
Lore De Schepper leads the young rider classification after Stage 2 and will wear the white jersey. She sits on 5:49:40, which places her among a large group of riders still close to the front of the general classification.
It is also another useful position for AG Insurance-Soudal after Bossuyt’s stage win. De Schepper has come through the opening two days without major damage, which is already valuable in a race where crashes have shaped both stages. The white jersey battle is still early, but staying calm through Galicia has already counted for plenty.
Team classification after stage 2
UAE Team ADQ lead the team classification on 17:29:00 after another consistent day across the squad. Squiban remains in the mountains jersey, Paula Blasi sits 10th overall, and Mavi Garcia is still safely inside the group of main GC contenders at 16 seconds.
That gives UAE Team ADQ a strong early base. They have not won a stage yet, but they have riders placed across the classifications and enough depth to stay visible once the race becomes harder. With the mountain stages still to come, that team classification lead may also point towards their broader strength rather than just the opening two days.
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Photo Credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Aritz Arambarri
What the standings mean before stage 3
The race is still very compact, but it has already become more unpredictable. Rüegg’s abandon removes the first red jersey from the race, while Vos’ earlier withdrawal has taken away one of the safest fast-finishing options for the rolling stages. Koch now leads, but the margins remain small enough that bonus seconds could still change the top of the standings before the mountains.
Stage 3 from Padrón to A Coruña is officially classed as flat, although the route is not completely straightforward. It should offer another chance for the faster riders, but after two crash-hit days, positioning may be just as important as sprint speed.
Our La Vuelta Femenina 2026 stage 3 preview looks at the route, contenders and likely tactical shape for the next day of racing, while the La Vuelta Femenina 2026 contenders preview tracks the wider GC picture before the race reaches its decisive climbs.
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 jersey leaders after stage 2
- Red jersey: Franziska Koch, FDJ-Suez
- Green jersey leader: Franziska Koch, FDJ-Suez
- Green jersey wearer on Stage 3: Shari Bossuyt, AG Insurance-Soudal
- Mountains jersey: Maëva Squiban, UAE Team ADQ
- White jersey: Lore De Schepper, AG Insurance-Soudal
- Team classification: UAE Team ADQ
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 Stage 2 Result
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