In the queen stage of La Vuelta Femenina, the race remained calm for a long time. But as the riders approached the first categorized climb, one rider made a move, prompting De Vries to jump across. The Dutchwoman quickly bridged the gap and, with 65 kilometers to go, joined the leader, soon leaving her breakaway companion behind.

De Vries gave it her all, but her brave solo effort ultimately came to nothing as she was reeled in by the reduced peloton before the final climb. The yellow-black team still had strong representation at the front. As the gradient ramped up on the decisive climb, the pace increased sharply, and Bunel managed to position herself near the front. The young French rider stayed with the leaders for a long time and finished an impressive ninth on the stage. Demi Vollering won the stage and secured the overall victory.

“I’m really happy with my performances this week”, Bunel reflected. “It was my first Vuelta and also my first grand tour with the team. On top of that, these are my first two top-ten finishes in a grand tour. I knew it was possible, but it’s great when it actually works out. It gives me a lot of confidence for the future, where my next goal is to finish in the top five of a stage.”

With two stage wins and the overall win in the points classification, Vos also looks back on a successful week. “It’s the end of a fantastic week with the team. We gave everything in every stage, so it’s really nice to go home with two wins and the points jersey.”

The 37-year-old Vos, who takes home the green jersey from La Vuelta Femenina for the third year in a row, praised her young teammates. “They did an amazing job, and I want to thank them so much for all the work they put in. The two wins and the points jersey aren’t just mine—they belong to the whole team.”