Samwise Cycle Racing Newsletter
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Kerbaol Solo Attack Seals Stage 3 at La Vuelta Femenina as GC Stays Razor-Tight
Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) won stage 3 of La Vuelta Femenina on Tuesday with a trademark late solo attack, descending to the line into A Coruña to finish four seconds ahead of the chasers. Kerbaol launched off her teammate Alice Towers on a cobbled climb with 2.5 kilometres remaining and held her lead to the finish. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) won the sprint of the peloton for second, with Sarah Van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike) third. Overall leader Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) survived the finale to retain the red jersey, with a two-second lead over Kopecky and a four-second margin over Kerbaol.
Sources: Cyclingnews, CyclingUpToDate
Rüeg and Vos Abandon La Vuelta Femenina After Crashes; Koch Leads Tight GC
La Vuelta Femenina has lost two of its highest-profile starters following crashes in the early stages. Race leader Noemi Rügg (EF Education-Oatly) fractured her shoulder in a crash with 12 kilometres to go on stage 2, abandoning before stage 3 and handing the red jersey to Franziska Koch. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) crashed into a ditch on the opening stage on a wet descent, finishing seventh despite the incident but was later confirmed to have a fractured collarbone, forcing her withdrawal before stage 2. Koch now leads the GC by two seconds from Kopecky, with Kerbaol a further two seconds back in third.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Kopecky Relegated and Fined at Vuelta Femenina but Vows to Keep Aggressive Sprint Style
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) was relegated to 36th place, fined 200 Swiss francs, and handed a yellow card after veering into rivals Shari Bossuyt and Franziska Koch during the stage 2 sprint at La Vuelta Femenina. Bossuyt was awarded the stage win, while Kopecky was stripped of her apparent podium finish. The Belgian champion later refused to change her approach, stating she would sprint in exactly the same manner again. Kopecky dropped 38 points in the sprint classification, falling from second to 14th. She finished second on stage 3, with SD Worx-Protime still searching for their first win of the 2026 Vuelta campaign.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Vingegaard the Clear Giro d’Italia Favourite with Pellizzari and UAE Team as Main Challengers
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) enters the 2026 Giro d’Italia as the race’s dominant favourite, having won Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya earlier this spring. The Dane, competing in his first-ever Corsa Rosa starting Friday in Bulgaria, could become only the eighth rider in history to win all three Grand Tours. Giulio Pellizzari and Jai Hindley will co-lead Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe in the GC battle, while UAE Team Emirates-XRG turns to Adam Yates and Jay Vine in the absence of both Tadej Pogačar and the withdrawn João Almeida. Primož Roglič is also considered a potential stage-hunting threat.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Carapaz and Almeida Both Rule Themselves Out of Giro d’Italia Days Before the Start
Two of the pre-season favourites for the 2026 Giro d’Italia will not line up at Friday’s Grande Partenza in Bulgaria. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) confirmed his withdrawal after surgery to remove a perineal cyst left his recovery longer than anticipated, calling the situation a complete disappointment given his affection for the race. The Ecuadorian won the Giro in 2019. João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) also confirmed he will not start after illness disrupted his spring build-up, forcing him to miss Paris-Nice and abandon the Volta a Catalunya. Adam Yates and Jay Vine now share GC duties for UAE in his absence.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Bulgaria’s Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza Hit by Political Crisis and Team Fee Disputes
The 2026 Giro d’Italia’s Bulgarian start faces controversy on multiple fronts ahead of Friday’s Grande Partenza in Nessebar. The UCI suspended the Bulgarian cycling federation’s president and vice-president last August for ethics violations, while a domestic political crisis created ongoing organisational uncertainty. Teams and race organisers RCS Sport also reached a standoff over participation fees, with squads requesting more than triple the standard approximately €50,000 supplement to offset elevated travel costs for the Eastern European journey. Despite the turbulence, the three opening stages in Bulgaria are set to proceed as planned before the peloton transfers to southern Italy for week two.
Sources: Cyclingnews, Cyclingnews
Nibali Cautions Vingegaard: Giro d’Italia Always Produces Surprises
Two-time Giro d’Italia winner Vincenzo Nibali has warned Jonas Vingegaard that pre-race favouritism means little on the Corsa Rosa. Speaking ahead of Friday’s start in Bulgaria, the Italian legend told La Gazzetta dello Sport that the Giro always surprises, citing his own experience of dramatic reversals in the Italian Grand Tour. Nibali emphasised the inherent unpredictability of a three-week race through Italy, cautioning that Vingegaard cannot relax even when carrying a strong advantage. The Visma-Lease a Bike leader arrives in top form after winning Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya, but has never previously raced the Giro, making this his historic first attempt.
Sources: Cyclingnews
La Vuelta Femenina 2026 — GC After Stage 3
General Classification Top 5
1. Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) — Leader
2. Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) — +0:02
3. Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) — +0:04
4. Évita Muzic (FDJ United-Suez) — +0:14
5. Sarah Van Dam (Visma-Lease a Bike) — +0:14
Giro d’Italia 2026 — Starts Friday
Pre-Race GC Favourites
1. Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) — Favourite
2. Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) — Contender
3. Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) — Co-leader
4. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) — Contender
5. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) — Stage hunter
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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