1-2 for SD Worx as Bredewold wins and Kopecky extends lead on La Vuelta Femenina stage 5

Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime) sprinted to victory on stage 5 of La Vuelta Femenina in rainy conditions in Astorga ahead of her teammate and race leader Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime). 

The SD Worx duo navigated the chaos of a rainy run-in to the finish in Astorga, where a crash split the bunch. Bredewold launched the apparent lead-out for Kopecky as the road rose to the finish line, but the Dutch rider had enough strength to remain in front and take the win. 

Kopecky crossed the line in second, gaining bonus seconds in the GC, while Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) ended in third after crashing on the run-in to the finish. 

Kopecky leads Franziska Koch (FDJ United-Suez) in the GC by 0:12, while stage 3 winner Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) sits 3rd at 0:18.

It marks a milestone 20th victory of Bredewold’s career, and the first of 2026.

Sara Martín (Movistar), Idoia Eraso (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi), Marina Garau (Vini Fantini-Bepink), Aniek van Alphen (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Alice Coutinho (Mayenne-Monbana My Pie) formed the day’s breakaway, with the latter two jumping across to the initial trio who went clear. 

It was a group that cooperated well, and one the peloton was content to let have an advantage, with SD Worx keeping tabs on the time gap throughout the stage.

Garau was the first to be distanced from the breakaway, before Coutinho was the next to be swept up. The final trio still held an advantage inside the final 10km, but the catch was made with 8km remaining.

The tension grew with the presence of rain inside the closing kilometres, with Liv AlUla Jayco, UAE Team ADQ and SD Worx-Protime among the teams present at the front. 

There was a crash in the centre of the peloton with 1.4km remaining, which meant that a significantly reduced bunch would contest the final sprint. 

Bredewold appeared to be doing the lead-out for the race leader on the uphill rise to the line, but the former European champion remained in front until the end, with Kopecky securing 2nd.