She was the queen of Spain for two seasons but Demi Vollering has decided this year not to defend her kingdom, to leave the scepter and crown of the Vuelta España Femenina 2026 to someone else. Who will succeed the champion of FDJ United – SUEZ? What will happen in the seven stages of the Spanish race?

We will begin to answer these questions starting tomorrow with the first stage that will challenge the athletes from Marín to Salvaterra de Miño: 113 kilometers of rolling terrain on the roads of Galicia where the climbs of Alto do Cruceiro and Alto da Portela stand out, two third-category GPMs located respectively at 75 and 64 kilometers from the finish. Pay attention also to the uncategorized climb towards Pazos de Borbén and especially to the wind that could influence the race from the start.

Wind and continuous attacks will also characterize the second day of racing that will engage the peloton between Lobios and San Cibrao das Viñas, still in Galicia. Although there are no categorized climbs for climbers, the organizers rightly describe the 109 kilometers of the stage as "hilly".

Nervous. That is the most appropriate adjective to describe the route of the Padrón/La Coruña stage, the third fraction of the race. Spread over a total distance of 121 kilometers, the stage does not award points for the climbers' classification but, at least for the first 60 kilometers, presents a profile often in ascent. In the second half of the race there will be no shortage of attacks but the finish could smile on athletes with a quick burst, provided they manage to find themselves well positioned in the last two kilometers.

The fourth stage, the last in Galicia, will depart from Monforte de Lemos heading towards Antas de Ulla. The altitude profile returns to offer two categorized climbs (Alto de Oural and Alto do Hospital, both third-category, ed. note) with the Intermediate Sprint with bonuses scheduled in the locality of Monterroso, just before the finish line. A small group of strong sprinters could fight for the day's victory.

On Thursday, May 7, the Vuelta España Femenina caravan will arrive in Castile and León and from the provincial capital will start the fifth stage, a 119-kilometer stage that will end in Astorga. Similar to the previous day's route, the course will take the athletes first to the top of Collada De Olleros De Alba (1198 meters above sea level) and then to the summit of Alto de la Garandilla. After the second GPM of the day the road will begin to descend towards the finish location where it is presumable that the day's success will be decided with a bunch sprint.

This will not be the case the next day: the sixth and penultimate stage will indeed conclude at altitude at Les Praeres at the end of an insidious first-category climb that reaches a maximum gradient of 12%. The athletes will encounter this final ramp about a hundred kilometers after the start from Gijón. At that point the "big" names in the general classification will not be able to sit back and watch.

Saturday, May 9 will be the day of the final verdict, the day when – for the first time in the history of España Femenina – the athletes will climb the legendary (and much-feared) Angliru, supreme judge of the first major stage race of the season. The seventh stage will start from Pola de Laviana and, before concluding at 1555 meters above sea level at the Angliru, will feature three other GPMs that will certainly select the peloton guaranteeing spectacle.

THE FAVORITES – Having noted the absence of the defending champion and analyzed the route, we cannot fail to highlight how Pauline Ferrand-Prévot enjoys the betting favorites. The French champion, winner of the last Tour de France Femmes, returns to the Spanish race seeking redemption after being forced to withdraw last year on the eve of the grand finale due to physical problems. The 34-year-old French rider from Visma Lease a Bike arrives at the Vuelta with 5 days of racing under her belt and three top-10 finishes: 2nd at the Ronde, 3rd at Paris-Roubaix and 7th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Pauline will also be able to count on the experience of Vos and the support of Bunel, Van Dam and Wolff.

Among the favorites is certainly also Kasia Niewiadoma. Coming off podiums at Liège and the Amstel Gold Race, the Polish champion on paper should have the role of team leader even though at CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto they could opt for a multi-pronged attack with Neve Bradbury and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

More weapons at the disposal of SD Worx Protime who will certainly rely on the class and experience of Anna van der Breggen (third last year, ed. note) while also being able to count on an athlete of the caliber of Lotte Kopecky and also on a possible "outsider" like Valentina Cavallar.

FDJ United – SUEZ faces the 2026 edition of the Vuelta España Femenina without Vollering but with the Franco-French tandem composed of Juliette Labous Berthet and Évita Muzic, respectively fifth and tenth in last year's general classification. Also pay attention to another French rider, Cédrine Kerbaol who in 2025 brought EF Education-Oatly close to the final podium.

At UAE Team ADQ the spotlight is on Mavi García, in her final Vuelta España of her career, but also on Maeva Squiban and fellow Iberian Paula Blasi, winner of the Amstel Gold Race Ladies and multiple top finisher in early season races.

THE ITALIAN RIDERS - Let's start with Monica Trinca Colonel who, after finishing seventh in the general classification last year and strong performances at Strade Bianche, Appennino, Flèche Wallonne and Liège, arrives in Spain with ambitions for the general classification and as team leader of Liv AlUla Jayco. At her side Letizia Paternoster who returns to racing after finishing fourth at the Amstel Gold Race.

We will see racing with the Lidl Trek jersey Gaia Realini, third-place finisher in the 2023 edition of the Vuelta, and among the ranks of Team Picnic PostNL Eleonora Ciabocco, who returns to competition after a crash at the Trofeo Binda; with the 22-year-old from Marche there will also be Gaia Masetti coming off the Ardennes races. Human Powered Health will rely on a tricolor trio composed of Barbara Malcotti, and with her two other fellow countrymen, Katia Ragusa and Silvia Zanardi. Greta Marturano and Erica Magnaldi are the Italian athletes called up by UAE Team ADQ, while in Uno-X Mobility colors we will see in action Laura Tomasi and Alessia Vigilia. Laboral Kutxa - Fundación Euskadi relies on the experience of Alice Arzuffi to support Usoa Ostolaza and Catalina Anais Soto. Fenix-Premier Tech has called up Sara Casasola.

Special mention for Vini Fantini – BePink, the only Continental team to have been invited by the organizers which will face this edition of the Vuelta España fielding: Gaia Segato, Elisa Valtulini, Sofia Arici, Andrea Casagranda, Nora Jenčušová, Marina Garau and 19-year-old Argentine Delfina Dibella, who joined the team directed by Walter Zini a few weeks ago.