Margot Vanpachtenbeke will not start stage 3 of La Vuelta Femenina, with Lidl-Trek confirming that she is still suffering after her crash on the opening stage.
The Belgian rider continued into stage 2 after the incident, but the effects of the crash have now forced her to leave the race before the third stage. Lidl-Trek said Vanpachtenbeke would take time to recover before her next racing block.
Vanpachtenbeke forced to stop before stage 3
Lidl-Trek confirmed the news ahead of stage 3, saying Vanpachtenbeke would not continue in the race.
“Unfortunately Margot won’t start stage three of La Vuelta Femenina as she is suffering from her crash on stage one,” the team said. “Wishing her all the best as she takes time to recover ahead of the next races.”
No specific injury detail has been provided, so the team’s update points instead to the lingering effects of the stage 1 crash. That makes the decision understandable, particularly in a race where the physical demands increase as the week moves towards its more selective stages.
Lidl-Trek lose a useful support rider
Vanpachtenbeke’s exit removes a valuable support option from Lidl-Trek’s line-up. In a stage race like La Vuelta Femenina, losing a rider early changes the balance of the team, especially with several difficult days still to come.
Her role would likely have centred on support work across the flatter and hilly terrain, protecting leaders, positioning teammates and helping the team stay organised through transitions. Those jobs rarely stand out on the results sheet, but they become more important when the race is fast, nervous and shaped by crashes or positioning battles.
The withdrawal also adds to the toll from an opening stage that has already affected several riders. For Vanpachtenbeke, the priority now shifts away from finishing La Vuelta Femenina and towards recovering properly before her next races.
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Photo Credit: Unipublic/Cxcling/Toni Baixauli -
Photo Credit: LaPresse
Recovery now takes priority
Lidl-Trek have not provided a return date, but their wording suggests the aim is to let Vanpachtenbeke recover before resuming her race programme. That is the sensible path after a crash whose effects have clearly carried through more than one stage.
For Lidl-Trek, the race continues with one fewer rider and a reduced margin for managing the week. For Vanpachtenbeke, La Vuelta Femenina ends early, but the decision should give her the best chance of returning to racing without carrying the impact of the crash deeper into the season.
