Mischa Bredewold won the opening stage of Itzulia Women 2026, taking victory from a reduced five-rider sprint in Zarautz after a hard, rain-soaked day of climbing and attrition. The SD Worx-Protime rider beat Yara Kastelijn and Riejanne Markus at the end of 121.3km of demanding racing to become the first leader of this year’s race.
Bredewold had finished second in each of the last two editions of the race, and this time she turned that familiarity with Itzulia Women into a stage win. The Dutch rider timed her sprint well from a front group that formed after repeated splits on the climbs and a technical run back into Zarautz. Lauren Dickson finished fourth, while Antonia Niedermaier crossed the line two seconds later in fifth after another aggressive display.
The opening stage of the fifth Itzulia Women, part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, was defined by cold, rain and almost constant climbing. With 2,539 metres of elevation packed into the route and the final ascent of Garate coming with just 7.7km to go, the race was always likely to split before the finish. That is exactly what happened.
Rain and climbing shape the stage from the start
The stage began in Zarautz without Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio on the start line, and the conditions quickly made themselves felt. There were no major attacks in the earliest part of the day, but the weather and the repeated climbs ensured the race never truly settled.
The first notable action came on Itziar, the opening categorised climb of the day, where Nina Berton crested first ahead of Océane Mahé and Yara Kastelijn. On Kalbario, Kastelijn then took over, scoring her own mountain points ahead of Berton and Antonia Niedermaier.
The first significant incident came with 89km to go when a crash in the bunch brought down riders, including Talia Appleton and Katrine Aalerud. Not long afterwards, Megan Arens, Heidi Franz and Morgane Coston tried to force the race open. Arens briefly went clear on her own and was later joined by Coston, but the move was neutralised before the intermediate sprint in Urestilla.
That sprint brought the first bonus seconds of the day, with Évita Muzic taking them ahead of Juliette Berthet and Marie Le Net. From there, the rhythm of the race became more severe. As Santa Ageda approached, the bunch began to thin under pressure from FDJ United-SUEZ, and the climb itself started to expose weaknesses in the main group. Riders including Blanka Vas and Justine Ghekiere were among those distanced as the race’s main favourites moved closer to the front.
The race breaks apart on Etumeta
The decisive selection began on the Etumeta section, where the peloton was first cut to around 10 riders and then reduced further into several distinct groups. That was the moment the stage stopped being about control and became a race between genuine contenders.
At the front were Lauren Dickson, Antonia Niedermaier, Riejanne Markus, Mischa Bredewold and Yara Kastelijn. Behind them were several major names trying to limit the damage, including Juliette Berthet, Évita Muzic, Dominika Wlodarczyk, Magdeleine Vallieres and Usoa Ostolaza.
Niedermaier again looked one of the strongest riders in the race, taking the top of Etumeta ahead of Dickson and Kastelijn. With 21km still to race, the leading five had built a lead of around a minute over the nearest chase group, and from that point on the stage win was always likely to come from that front selection.
At the intermediate sprint in Zubialde, Bredewold took three bonus seconds ahead of Dickson and Markus, a small but useful gain in a stage that was already beginning to shape the general classification. Niedermaier then tried again on the climb into Garate, driving the pace and looking to split the group once more. Kastelijn reached the top first, with Niedermaier and Bredewold close behind.
Bredewold proves fastest in Zarautz
After Garate, the front five tackled a quick and technical descent back towards Zarautz, still on damp roads in places. Behind them, the chase group began to reorganise, with Liane Lippert leading a pursuit that also featured Usoa Ostolaza, Juliette Berthet, Évita Muzic, Dominika Wlodarczyk, Ricarda Bauernfeind, Letizia Borghesi and Magdeleine Vallieres.
For a while, that group looked as though it might get close enough to make the finale more nervous. The gap came down to around 15 seconds, but the front five continued to work well enough to keep their advantage intact.
Riejanne Markus launched an attack with 2.8km to go, trying to turn the reduced sprint into a solo finish, but Niedermaier responded immediately. That proved the last serious move from the front group. They came into Zarautz together, and from there Bredewold was the strongest.
Niedermaier opened the sprint from long range, but Bredewold had judged the finale best. She came around at the right moment to take the win ahead of Kastelijn and Markus, with Dickson fourth on the same time. Niedermaier, after such an active day, lost only two seconds in fifth.
Small gaps, but an important first shake-up in the GC
Although the stage did not produce huge time gaps among the main favourites, it still mattered. Bredewold took the first leader’s jersey and banked bonus seconds, while several other contenders were forced to chase after the race split on the climbs.
Liane Lippert finished sixth at 18 seconds, with Usoa Ostolaza in seventh on the same time. Dominika Wlodarczyk, Ricarda Bauernfeind and Letizia Borghesi completed the top 10. Ostolaza was also the best Spanish rider on the day, giving Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi an encouraging start on home roads.
For Bredewold, this was more than just a stage win. It confirmed once again that she is one of the most reliable riders in this race, and that her punch on selective terrain can still make the difference after a hard day in the hills. For the rest, stage 1 showed that Itzulia Women 2026 will not be won cheaply. Every climb, every split and every bonus second already looks important.
Itzulia Women 2026 stage 1 result
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