2026 Vuelta España Femenina Stage 4 Results & Recap
Stage 4 of the 2026 Vuelta España Femenina is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Kopecky Quick to Stage 4 Victory
Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx–Protime) won Stage 4 of La Vuelta Femenina, after a furious bunch sprint to the line in Antas de Ulla. The Belgian powerhouse's teammate Anna van der Breggen finished second, while Letizia Paternoster (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) took third.
The 115.6-kilometer stage from Monforte de Lemos was defined by rolling terrain and more than 2,000 meters of climbing, creating a selective race despite expectations of a sprint finish. A strong four-rider breakaway formed mid-race, featuring Lauretta Hanson (Lidl-Trek), Marta Jaskulska (Human Powered Health), Annelies Nijssen (Lotto Intermarché Ladies) and Marine Allione (Mayenne Monbana My Pie).
The group worked well together to build an advantage that stretched beyond three minutes at its most, with Nijssen even moving into the virtual race lead at certain points.
Over the Alto de Oural and later the Alto do Hospital, the break continued to press on, picking up Queen of the Mountains points along the way. Allione led the break over the categorized climbs, while the peloton, led by bigger teams including EF Education-Oatly, UAE Team ADQ and SD Worx–Protime, kept the gap in check.
As the race entered the last 30 kilometers, the pace rose with intensity. SD Worx–Protime moved to the front for Kopecky, stringing out the peloton and quickly chipped away at the break’s advantage. The gap dropped under two minutes and continued to fall as the road tilted up once more.
Inside the final 15 kilometers, the break began to fracture. Allione was the first to be dropped, leaving Hanson and Jaskulska to push on alone in a last-ditch effort to stay clear.
Despite their efforts, the peloton closed in fast. The gap fell to under a minute with 10 kilometers to go and continued to shrink rapidly as SD Worx and Lidl-Trek drove the chase. Hanson and Jaskulska briefly held on with just a handful of kilometers remaining, but the catch was inevitable.
The decisive moment came inside the final three kilometers, when the peloton finally swept up the last remnants of the break, setting the stage for a sprint finish.
From there, it was a battle for position. Lidl-Trek led the bunch under the flamme rouge, with Movistar and other teams fighting to organize their lead-outs on the slightly rising finishing straight.
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