Dutch rider Demi Vollering impressively rode away on the final climb to win stage five of Vuelta Femenina and take the leader’s red jersey.
In the race’s first mountain stage, Vollering, of the SD Worx-Protime team, set the pace on the ascent from Jaca in north-eastern Spain before a solo push with 800m to go.
She clinched her first stage win of the season – and third ever at the Vuelta – by a margin of 28 seconds with compatriot Yara Kastelijn second and Italian Elisa Longo Borghini third.
It meant Vollering took the overall lead from another Dutch rider, Marianne Vos, who finished more than two minutes back.
“I have felt strong this season but it was not yet there,” Vollering said. “The win took long but I am really happy I could do it here.
“The leaders jersey is a pretty one. I hope I can keep it until the end.”
Stage five result
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Demi Vollering (Ned/SD Worx-Protime) 3hrs 9mins 52secs
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Yara Kastelijn (Ned/Fenix-Deceuninck) +28secs
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Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Lidl-Trek) same time
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Evita Muzic (Fra/FDJ-Suez) +39secs
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Sarah Gigante (Aus/AG Insurance- Soudal) +41secs
General classification
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Demi Vollering (Ned/SD Worx-Protime) 13hrs 9mins 45secs
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Elisa Longo Borghini (Ita/Lidl-Trek) +31secs
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Riejanne Markus (Ned/Team Visma-Lease a Bike) +53secs
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Kristen Faulkner (USA/EF Education-Cannondale) +1min 10secs
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Juliette Labous (Fra/Team dsm–firmenich PostNL) +1min 13secs