Description
June 19, 2026
3rd Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina 2026 🇪🇸 (2.1) WE – Stage 2 – Sant Vicenç de Castellet – La Molina : 130 km
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina is a UCI 2.WWT classification stage race that unfolds across the dramatic and varied landscapes of Catalonia,
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June 19, 2026
3rd Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina 2026 🇪🇸 (2.1) WE – Stage 2 – Sant Vicenç de Castellet – La Molina : 130 km
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina is a UCI 2.WWT classification stage race that unfolds across the dramatic and varied landscapes of Catalonia, where the roads climb into the rugged Pyrenees, descend through sun-drenched valleys, and twist along the Mediterranean coast. The terrain is a relentless mix of long, sustained ascents and short, explosive climbs, with gradients frequently reaching 8–12% on narrow, winding roads that cut through pine forests, rocky outcrops, and terraced hillsides. The climbs are often irregular, featuring steep ramps, exposed sections, and technical switchbacks, while the descents are fast and demanding, with sharp corners and uneven surfaces that test a rider’s skill and composure. The race dynamics are defined by the constant changes in elevation and the tactical opportunities they present, with attacks launching on the steepest sections or during the high-altitude stages, where the peloton thins to a select group of climbers. The flatter stages are rarely straightforward, often featuring crosswinds along the coastal roads or punchy hills that disrupt the rhythm and create opportunities for late breaks. The sprint finishes are fast and technical, contested on wide roads or slightly uphill drags that reward power and positioning, while the mountain stages often conclude with a reduced group battling for victory on a final ascent or a fast descent into a picturesque Catalan town. The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina is a race of contrasts—where the beauty of the Catalan landscapes belies the brutality of its parcours, demanding climbing prowess, tactical intelligence, and resilience from start to finish.
Home rider Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) stamped her authority on stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya Feminas, winning solo in La Molina after conquering the 21.2km Coll de la Creueta.
The Catalan rider, who won La Vuelta Femenina and Amstel Gold Race earlier this spring, bided her time on the final climb, but once she put in her decisive attack, no one could match her, and she soloed to the victory and into the race lead.
Célia Gery (FDJ United-Suez) fought her way into second, 1:20 down on Blasi, whilst Canada’s Sidney Swierenga (Liv AlUla Jayco Women’s Continental Team) impressed to finish third.
Blasi now leads the GC with only one easier stage to Barcelona between her and a win at her home tour.
“It’s my hometown almost, I’m training here every day, so I pretty much knew this climb and these last kilometres,” Blasi said. “So it was quite emotional and special for me, and I really wanted to fight for it.
“I knew it would not be easy because it was not that steep in the climbs, and with the wind it was quite open, and people were quite tight to my wheel. So I had to fight quite a lot mentally, because even when there were four girls left, and I was just with Gery, I was even scared because I knew if I went with her to the finish line, probably she would beat me in the sprint, so I gave it all in the climb.”
The second stage in Catalunya offered a big climbing day, with the stage finishing just over the top of the HC Coll de la Creueta, with the 11.6km Coll de la Batallola preceding that for a really challenging day.
A two-rider break went early in the day, comprising Sheyla Gutiérrez (Movistar) and Victoire Joncheray (Team Abadie Magnan), but they were kept close and caught early before the top of the Batallola with 46km to go.
With 35km to go, there was a brief neutralisation due to an unsafe section of road. The riders continued riding, just slow with no attacks, and the situation was resolved quickly and the neutralisation lifted.
Soon the final climb quickly began to string the peloton out. With 25km to go, fewer than 30 riders remained in the front of the race. The base of the climb saw attack after attack, with many riders putting in little accelerations but not actually wanting to show their cards and go all-out too soon.
Julie Van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal) was the first to get a decent gap in the final 20km, with less than 15 riders remaining in the group of favourites, where Paula Blasi was the rider to watch.
Blasi slowly started ramping up her efforts, building off the help of her teammates early on the climb, and once Van de Velde was caught, the Catalonian rider set off alone with just under 14km to go.
Expectedly, Blasi quickly built up a really solid lead as the race split apart behind her. Swierenga was in pursuit but soon already a minute down, with Géry chasing even further back as Blasi soloed over the top of the climb.
From there, there was just the run to the line in La Molina left, and Blasi’s lead was untouchable as she powered to the win.
Results :
 WE - Stage 2 </strong> - Sant Vicenç de Castellet - La Molina : 130 km
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Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina is a UCI 2.WWT classification stage race that unfolds across the dramatic and varied landscapes of Catalonia, where the roads climb into the rugged Pyrenees, descend through sun-drenched valleys, and twist along the Mediterranean coast. The terrain is a relentless mix of long, sustained ascents and short, explosive climbs, with gradients frequently reaching 8–12% on narrow, winding roads that cut through pine forests, rocky outcrops, and terraced hillsides. The climbs are often irregular, featuring steep ramps, exposed sections, and technical switchbacks, while the descents are fast and demanding, with sharp corners and uneven surfaces that test a rider’s skill and composure. The race dynamics are defined by the constant changes in elevation and the tactical opportunities they present, with attacks launching on the steepest sections or during the high-altitude stages, where the peloton thins to a select group of climbers. The flatter stages are rarely straightforward, often featuring crosswinds along the coastal roads or punchy hills that disrupt the rhythm and create opportunities for late breaks. The sprint finishes are fast and technical, contested on wide roads or slightly uphill drags that reward power and positioning, while the mountain stages often conclude with a reduced group battling for victory on a final ascent or a fast descent into a picturesque Catalan town. The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Femenina is a race of contrasts—where the beauty of the Catalan landscapes belies the brutality of its parcours, demanding climbing prowess, tactical intelligence, and resilience from start to finish.
Home rider Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) stamped her authority on stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya Feminas, winning solo in La Molina after conquering the 21.2km Coll de la Creueta.
The Catalan rider, who won La Vuelta Femenina and Amstel Gold Race earlier this spring, bided her time on the final climb, but once she put in her decisive attack, no one could match her, and she soloed to the victory and into the race lead.
Célia Gery (FDJ United-Suez) fought her way into second, 1:20 down on Blasi, whilst Canada's Sidney Swierenga (Liv AlUla Jayco Women's Continental Team) impressed to finish third.
Blasi now leads the GC with only one easier stage to Barcelona between her and a win at her home tour.
"It's my hometown almost, I'm training here every day, so I pretty much knew this climb and these last kilometres," Blasi said. "So it was quite emotional and special for me, and I really wanted to fight for it.
"I knew it would not be easy because it was not that steep in the climbs, and with the wind it was quite open, and people were quite tight to my wheel. So I had to fight quite a lot mentally, because even when there were four girls left, and I was just with Gery, I was even scared because I knew if I went with her to the finish line, probably she would beat me in the sprint, so I gave it all in the climb."
The second stage in Catalunya offered a big climbing day, with the stage finishing just over the top of the HC Coll de la Creueta, with the 11.6km Coll de la Batallola preceding that for a really challenging day.
A two-rider break went early in the day, comprising Sheyla Gutiérrez (Movistar) and Victoire Joncheray (Team Abadie Magnan), but they were kept close and caught early before the top of the Batallola with 46km to go.
With 35km to go, there was a brief neutralisation due to an unsafe section of road. The riders continued riding, just slow with no attacks, and the situation was resolved quickly and the neutralisation lifted.
Soon the final climb quickly began to string the peloton out. With 25km to go, fewer than 30 riders remained in the front of the race. The base of the climb saw attack after attack, with many riders putting in little accelerations but not actually wanting to show their cards and go all-out too soon.
Julie Van de Velde (AG Insurance-Soudal) was the first to get a decent gap in the final 20km, with less than 15 riders remaining in the group of favourites, where Paula Blasi was the rider to watch.
Blasi slowly started ramping up her efforts, building off the help of her teammates early on the climb, and once Van de Velde was caught, the Catalonian rider set off alone with just under 14km to go.
Expectedly, Blasi quickly built up a really solid lead as the race split apart behind her. Swierenga was in pursuit but soon already a minute down, with Géry chasing even further back as Blasi soloed over the top of the climb.
From there, there was just the run to the line in La Molina left, and Blasi's lead was untouchable as she powered to the win.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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