Yara Kastelijn produced a decisive final-kilometre attack on Lagunas de Neila to win stage 4 of the Vuelta a Burgos Feminas 2026 and overturn the general classification on the final day. The Fenix-Premier Tech rider followed Évita Muzic on the steepest slopes of the summit finish, waited for the gradient to ease slightly, then surged clear to take both the stage and the overall title.
Muzic finished second on the stage for FDJ-Suez, with Usoa Ostolaza third for Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi after attacking from the chasing group behind. Those three riders also filled the final general classification podium, with Kastelijn winning overall ahead of Muzic and Ostolaza.
It was a proper final-day reshuffle. Lorena Wiebes had started the day in the leader’s jersey after two stage wins and a strong ride on stage 3, but the 120-kilometre route from Gumiel de Mercado to Lagunas de Neila always looked like the day that would decide the race. With a final climb of 6 kilometres at almost 10 per cent, and the steepest section packed into the decisive kilometres, the race finally moved away from the sprinters and into the hands of the climbers.
Martín and Venturelli build the breakaway
The race did not wait for the final climb to come alive. Sara Martín attacked just 12 kilometres after the start in Gumiel de Mercado and quickly opened a meaningful advantage. Federica Venturelli then set off in pursuit after around 20 kilometres, eventually reaching Martín with 83 kilometres still to race.
The pair built a strong lead, stretching their advantage to a maximum of around 6:40 with 70 kilometres remaining. It was enough to make the peloton work, but not enough to make the GC teams panic too early. Behind, the bunch allowed the move some space before gradually increasing the pressure as the race moved towards the climbing-heavy final third.
The intermediate sprint at Huerta de Abajo came with 27.5 kilometres remaining, and Martín and Venturelli still held 2:46 over the peloton. That was the final moment where the break looked as though it might carry real danger into the decisive part of the stage.
Martín holds on longest before the final climb
The race changed on the Alto de Tolbaños. Martín dropped Venturelli on the climb, while Rosita Reijnhout and Titia Ryo attacked from the peloton. Martín crested the climb with a lead of 43 seconds over Ryo and Reijnhout, who then caught Venturelli on the descent. The peloton was still 1:15 behind, but the chase was now fully organised.
On the unclassified Collado de Huerta, the race was pulled back together piece by piece. Venturelli was caught first, then Ryo and Reijnhout, and finally Martín was reeled in on the descent with 7.2 kilometres remaining. After a long day out front, the Movistar rider had forced the GC teams to chase deep into the finale, but the summit finish was still waiting.
From that point, the stage reset. Wiebes led the peloton on the lower slopes, Elisa Balsamo added one final turn, then Millie Couzens and Maëva Squiban moved to the front as the favourites began to position themselves for the steepest gradients.
Muzic splits the race on the steepest slopes
Amber Kraak took over for FDJ-Suez with around 5 kilometres to go, and when she swung off with 4.3 kilometres remaining, the race had already been reduced to a select front group. Muzic, Kastelijn, Ostolaza, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, Mireia Benito, Amanda Spratt, Shirin van Anrooij, Cédrine Kerbaol, Alice Towers, Mischa Bredewold, Maud Oudeman, Katharina Sadnik and Squiban were among the riders still at the front.
The steepest section then broke the race open. Moolman-Pasio briefly led the group into the hardest gradients, but Muzic soon took over. Her pace was severe enough to distance everyone except Kastelijn, turning the stage into a duel between the FDJ-Suez climber and the Fenix-Premier Tech rider.
Behind them, the chasing group began to fracture and reform. Ostolaza, Benito and Towers fought back towards the second group, while riders such as Van Anrooij, Kerbaol, Oudeman, Bredewold and Spratt tried to limit the damage. At the front, though, Muzic and Kastelijn were pulling further clear.
Kastelijn waits, then attacks for the win
Kastelijn rode patiently while Muzic set the pace for much of the climb. The French rider had done the hard work of reducing the group, but Kastelijn looked increasingly comfortable as the road approached the final 2 kilometres.
The decisive move came just inside the final 1.3 kilometres. Kastelijn accelerated away from Muzic on a section where she could carry more speed, quickly opening the gap that would decide both the stage and the race.
From there, the result was clear. Kastelijn continued alone to the summit and crossed the line in 3:36:47, 16 seconds ahead of Muzic and 25 seconds ahead of Ostolaza. Benito finished fourth at 52 seconds, with Bredewold fifth at 1:01 and Squiban sixth at 1:03.
Photo Credit: GettyKastelijn completes the GC turnaround
The stage victory also gave Kastelijn the overall title, her first Women’s WorldTour general classification win. She finished the race in 13:20:04, with Muzic second at 20 seconds and Ostolaza third at 31 seconds. Benito was fourth at 44 seconds, while Bredewold completed the top five at 49 seconds.
It was a complete final-day performance from Kastelijn. She did not need to animate the early race, nor did she panic when Muzic began to apply pressure on the steepest slopes. She waited for the right moment, used the climb’s changing rhythm, and made one attack that nobody could answer.
Kastelijn also took the mountains classification, while Wiebes secured the points jersey after her two stage wins earlier in the race. Van Anrooij won the young rider classification after finishing sixth overall, and Liv AlUla Jayco topped the team classification.
For Wiebes and SD Worx-Protime, the race still brought two stage wins and Bredewold’s stage 3 victory, but Lagunas de Neila belonged to the climbers. Muzic did much of the damage, Ostolaza rode herself onto the podium, and Kastelijn delivered the move that turned the final stage into overall victory.
Vuelta a Burgos Feminas 2026 stage 4 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Vuelta a Burgos Feminas 2026 GC result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Main photo credit: Getty
