La Vuelta Femenina stage 7 LIVE: Onto the ascent of the L’Angliru, the breakaway’s advantage is shrinking as tension mounts

2026-05-09T11:43:00.560Z

Lippert, out of the saddle leads the Markus sisters in the break which leads the favourites’ groupie 2.09, FDJ continue to lead the chase.

2026-05-09T11:41:16.304Z

FDJ are doing the work now, the gaps remains, but we’re inside the final 3km before the climb.

2026-05-09T11:40:09.682Z

Markus, Markus and Lippert have stretched their advantage once again, they’re 2.10 ahead and still going well.

2026-05-09T11:38:47.097Z

Now the race is up, into the intermediate sprint, Lotte Kopecky and Franziska Koch (FDJ United-SUEZ) looking for the point for the green jersey competition.
Koch takes it.

2026-05-09T11:33:05.354Z

Markus, Markus and Lippert lead by 2.39 now, this lull behind will probably allow them the get onto the climb before they’re caught.
Lippert is probably the best climber, though Riejanne Markus is also very good.

2026-05-09T11:31:02.589Z

There’s a little feeling of calm before the storm at the moment. Riders feeding and sorting clothing. There’s no rain just yet, though there’s no blazing sunshine either.

2026-05-09T11:27:36.228Z

All change as Visma slip back and UAE Team ADQ take over, while Van der Breggen moves onto the wheels of three team mates.

2026-05-09T11:25:10.185Z

The gap is extending a little at the moment, it’s out to 1.32 as the leaders continue working well.
Visma-Lease a Bike lead the chase, with Tour de France Femmes winner, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot on the fornt.

2026-05-09T11:22:30.870Z

We’re 26km from the line and from here on in it’s basically uphill. Whether that be false flat through the sprint, which comes 17km from the line, or on the brutal L’Angliru.

2026-05-09T11:18:41.914Z

The peloton is flying down the descent, though the breakaway still have 55 seconds’ lead.

2026-05-09T11:16:46.510Z

Lippert is clearly the better descender, waiting for the Markus sisters to ensure the three of them get as far as possible before they’re caught.

2026-05-09T11:15:32.840Z

On the descent some of those riders dropped from the favourites’ group are getting back on, they’ll be able to help their leaders into the climb.

2026-05-09T11:13:53.936Z

This is the stage that keeps on giving, after the penultimate climb there’s an intermediate sprint with bonus seconds on the line in Las Mazas. Will anyone sprint for the time, or will they hope to make the difference on the final climb?

2026-05-09T11:12:32.765Z

As what remains of the peloton crest the Alto del Tenebredo they’re just 1.05 behind the leaders.

2026-05-09T11:11:30.826Z

Lippert leads over the top of the climb, with Riejanne Markus second and her sister Femke in third. Femke seemed to be struggling to struggling as she reached the top, but she has a tiny bit of recovery before the main course.

2026-05-09T11:07:24.561Z

Over the top of the penultimate climb and Markus, Markus and Lippert’s lead is no below two minutes.

2026-05-09T11:03:54.352Z

This climb is really stretching the peloton with plenty of riders sliding off the back.
1km from the top and the bunch are just two minutes behind the breakaway.

2026-05-09T11:02:00.783Z

UAE Team ADQ are on the front, alongside the massed ranks of SD Worx, while our favourites sit close to one another in the group, which has shrunk on the climb.

2026-05-09T10:59:57.042Z

As we ascend, the gap is coming down now, Markus, Markus and Lippert have only 2.47 on the bunch, Lippert slipping out of the virtual red jersey.

2026-05-09T10:57:33.876Z

The Alto Tenebreo itself is the first 2nd category climb of the entire race, this is 3.2km at a sapping 9.7% average gradient, with ramps of 20%.
We’re there now and we reckon the race might have a different complexion after the peak.

2026-05-09T10:53:12.180Z

After their fast start today has already been a tough day out, but it’s about to get more challenging. 3.35 is the lead for our breakaway.

2026-05-09T10:49:13.855Z

In anticipation of the climb, the advantage for the breakaway is beginning to come down. Markus, Markus and Lippert have only 3.30 on the pack.

2026-05-09T10:45:47.081Z

Deep in the stage, and there’ll be a few deep in the hurt locker after the next 10km. The approach to the Alto Tenebreo comprises a series of steep steps, some of those steps including gradients deep into double figure percentages.

2026-05-09T10:40:08.562Z

Off the descent from the unclassified climb now, the race tackles 8.5km of false flat before they reach the foot of the Alto Tenebreo.

2026-05-09T10:34:26.174Z

Markus, Markus and Lippert lead the stage by 3.57 with FDJ United-SUEZ leading the peloton.
Lippert is the biggest threat for the GC in the group, she started the day only 3.47 behind Van der Breggen’s overall lead, so is currently the virtual leader overall.

Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime), Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) in the breakaway during stage 7 of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina 2026. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-09T10:27:56.918Z

The breakaway crest the climb, but this is where things begin to get really difficult. There’s a short descent, then gradients of around 10% punctuate a short unclassified climb, before the race heads to the penultimate climb of the race.

2026-05-09T10:25:17.403Z

Four minutes really is one of the biggest leads for a breakaway, but that’s where it stands for Markus, Markus and Lippert at the moment.

2026-05-09T10:24:10.830Z

We’ve had a few abandons today. Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon-Sram-zondacrypoto) has just pulled the plug, while her team mate, Maria Martins and Nora Jencusova (Vini Fantini-BePink) pulled out earlier.

2026-05-09T10:20:22.163Z

At the foot of the climb the breakaway’s advantage is out to 3.00. One of the biggest leads of any break all week.

2026-05-09T10:15:13.917Z

The next climb is the Alto del Tejera the day’s second third category climb. Starting 62km from the line, this is only 4.7% over its 4.4km.

2026-05-09T10:11:48.635Z

At the halfway mark of today’s 132.8km stage Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime), Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) lead by 2.42.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-09T10:03:45.362Z

We’ve just crested a short climb and the race is now on the run into the next climb. Markus, Markus and Lippert have extended their lead slightly to 2.10.

2026-05-09T09:59:44.085Z

Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) has been one of the riders of the spring, and she remains within touching distance of the overall win after finishing second on Friday.

2026-05-09T09:56:42.547Z

Markus, Markus and Lippert have extended their lead out to 1.43 as the race settles after an incredibly aggressive start.

2026-05-09T09:52:02.578Z

Markus, Markus and Lippert lead the stage by 1.30 while UAE Team ADQ lead the chase.
UAE lost two riders yesterday, Maëva Squiban to a crash and Greta Marturano to the consequences of an earlier crash.

2026-05-09T09:47:19.071Z

Now the break is properly established, Markus, Markus and Lippert lead the race by 1.30.

2026-05-09T09:41:45.320Z

With the leading trio 1.20 up the road Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal) attacked, but she was soon back in the pack.

2026-05-09T09:37:28.807Z

Finally the breakaway is established, Markus, Markus and Lippert lead the peloton by just over one minute.

2026-05-09T09:34:14.144Z

Markus, Markus and Lippert’s lead is growing. We knew Movistar were chasing and it seems the idea was to get someone up the road.

2026-05-09T09:31:44.818Z

With the peloton so close, Liane Lippert has managed to bridge to the leaders.
We now have Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime), Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) and Liane Lippert (Movistar) at the front, though their advantage is very small.

2026-05-09T09:28:42.364Z

Markus and Markus continue to lead, but the chasing group has been caught and the sisters’ advantage is down to only 15 seconds.

2026-05-09T09:26:35.784Z

Now more riders are trying to bridge to the leading duo, we don’t have any more details at the moment.

2026-05-09T09:20:53.293Z

There’s a Movistar rider trying to chase the Markus sisters now.

2026-05-09T09:18:45.660Z

Femke’s sister, Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek), who we saw warming up earlier, is now trying to reach the front, they’re together, 18 seconds in front of the peloton.

2026-05-09T09:14:10.134Z

Femke Markus (SD Worx-Protime) has attacked alone. This is an interesting most from Anna van der Breggen’s team. Markus began the day more than nine minutes behind her team leader.

2026-05-09T09:10:35.589Z

2026-05-09T08:53:15.936Z

All the jerseys are in the front group at the moment, and while the peloton has re-formed plenty of riders are dropped already. It’s going to be a very long hard day for them.

2026-05-09T08:49:01.576Z

Though the average speed has dropped, we’ve got a very high pace on the climb with Lidl-Trek making it hard. The peloton has split in two.

2026-05-09T08:45:28.594Z

They’re flying along at the moment, the average speed remains above 50km/h. No one will get away from that.

2026-05-09T08:44:00.423Z

The climbing begins and the peloton is all together on the opening slopes of the climb.

2026-05-09T08:41:24.263Z

If anyone wants to establish a breakaway they need to get away quickly as the first of those climbs comes pretty soon. The Alto de Santo Emiliano starts after 10km, it’s 5.2km and averages 5.9%. After a week’s racing this’ll be tough.

2026-05-09T08:39:01.854Z

We’ve got four classified climbs, two third category, one second category and the final Especial category L’Angliru to close the day. To add insult to injury there’s an intermediate sprint between the last two climbs.

2026-05-09T08:38:17.714Z

WE have lots of attacks at the front of the race.

2026-05-09T08:38:03.567Z

We head west from the start, veering north for an anti-clockwise loop, heading back on ourselves before taking a right turn to head for the final climb. It’s winds and wends and is up and down all day.

2026-05-09T08:36:21.150Z

Today is the queen stage, by far the toughest day of the seven stages, at 132.8 not only is it the longest, at 132.8km, it has the most climbing, with 3,271m of elevation and finishing at the top of L’Angrilu.

2026-05-09T08:35:30.491Z

2026-05-09T08:31:11.351Z

2026-05-09T08:21:36.769Z

The climbs come straight from the gun today, so Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) is getting warmed up.

Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) warms up prior to stage 7 of the 2026 La Vuelta Femenina 2026 in Pola de Laviana, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images) (Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-05-09T08:18:06.932Z

The teams are signed on, including race leader Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime).

2026-05-09T08:10:30.049Z

Today’s stage to the fabled climb of L’Angliru could well bring more of the same attrition. We roll out at 10:25 local time, starting with 4.5km of neutral before getting the show on the road.

2026-05-09T08:07:57.887Z

Good morning, it’s an early start for the final, race defining stage of this year’s Vuelta Femenina, so thanks for joining our live coverage.