Dominika Wlodarczyk won stage 2 of Itzulia Women 2026, taking the biggest victory of her career after a perfectly timed late move into Amorebieta-Etxano. The UAE Team ADQ rider beat Shirin van Anrooij at the line, with race leader Mischa Bredewold charging back for third after the yellow jersey group came within metres of making contact before the finish.
It was Wlodarczyk’s first WorldTour victory, and it came on a stage that demanded exactly the right blend of timing, nerve and strength. The 138km route from Abadiño to Amorebieta-Etxano never really settled, and once the race split late on, it became clear that anyone waiting too long would be at risk of missing the winning move.
After the selective opener into Zarautz, stage 2 again underlined how different this year’s Itzulia Women route is from some recent editions. There was no summit finish, but the repeated Basque climbs and technical roads kept putting pressure on the bunch until the race finally broke apart.
Another selective day in the Basque Country
Bredewold started the stage in yellow after winning stage 1, with Yara Kastelijn and Riejanne Markus close behind on GC. The profile suggested another day where the strongest riders would have to stay alert rather than simply wait for the final kilometre, and that proved accurate.
The repeated climbs gradually thinned the peloton and stopped the race from ever becoming predictable. Teams still had enough numbers to keep things under some control for long stretches, but once the route entered its closing phase the attacks began to land and the race became much harder to manage.
That was especially true in the final kilometres, where the front of the race fractured into a series of small groups rather than one clean selection. Riders were no longer just racing for the stage. They were also trying to create gaps before the finish and force others into hesitation.
Wlodarczyk and Van Anrooij make the key move
The winning move came when Dominika Wlodarczyk and Shirin van Anrooij forced their way clear late in the stage. It was the kind of attack that only works if both riders commit immediately, and both did exactly that.
Behind them, Bredewold was left in a difficult position. She still had the stage in sight, but she also had to think about the overall lead. That balancing act mattered. If she chased too early and too hard, she risked dragging the rest back with her. If she waited too long, the front pair might just hold on.
In the end, that hesitation gave Wlodarczyk and Van Anrooij just enough road. The yellow jersey group came back fast in the final straight, but not fast enough.
Bredewold closes late, but Wlodarczyk finishes it off
Once the front pair had their gap, Wlodarczyk handled the finish very well. She did not overcomplicate it, did not leave herself boxed in, and still had the speed to beat Van Anrooij at the line after such an aggressive finale.
Bredewold arrived almost immediately behind them for third, which underlined both how close the finish was and how finely judged the move had been. A slightly earlier attack probably would not have worked. A slightly later one might never have got away.
That is what made the win so impressive. Wlodarczyk did not simply have the legs. She read the finale better than anyone else.
A first WorldTour win and another important GC day
This was a major result for Wlodarczyk. A first WorldTour win always matters, but this one came in a race situation that demanded maturity as much as power. It was not a straightforward sprint and not a simple solo attack. She had to recognise the right moment, commit fully, and still finish strongly after a hard day on a lumpy route.
For Bredewold, third place still represented a strong ride. She missed out on back-to-back stage wins, but she stayed near the front again and avoided any serious damage on another day where small gaps were always possible. In a short stage race like Itzulia Women, that remains important.
The result also kept the race open heading into the final stage. Bredewold remained central to the overall battle, but Wlodarczyk’s win showed once again that this year’s field is deep enough and aggressive enough to punish any hesitation.
Itzulia Women 2026 stage 2 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
