Nienke Veenhoven and Marianne Vos, opening double in Santa Susanna
June 19 th 2026 - 18:35 [GMT + 2]
(Santa Susanna, 19-06-2026).- The young Dutch sprinter Nienke Veenhoven (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) has become the first leader of the third edition of the women’s Volta a Catalunya 2026 after securing victory in the first stage, which was decided in a sprint in the Maresme town of Santa Susanna, where second place went to her team-mate Marianne Vos, winner of the race in 2024. As a result, the Dutch legend has gained a six-second time bonus over her main rivals ahead of a decisive mountain stage this Saturday between Sant Vicenç de Castellet and La Molina.
133 cyclists set off on Friday 19 June in the third edition of the women’s Volta a Catalunya, with an opening stage of 91.9 kilometres starting and finishing in the town of Santa Susanna, where the race’s first leader would be decided.
Dutch rider Laura Molenaar (VolkerWessels), French rider Constance Valentin (Mayenne Monbana My Pie) and Chilean rider Aranza Villalón (Eneicat-Becall) formed the day’s breakaway before the climb up the first points-scoring climb of the day, the Coll del Pollastre (3rd category, km 38.6). In the end, the star of the show was Molenaar, a cyclist with close ties to Catalonia after many years living in La Garrotxa, who managed to break away solo on the Alt de Collsacreu (3rd category, km 46.1), in the middle section of the stage, building a lead of over two minutes over the peloton.
Towards the end of the stage to Santa Susanna, within the final 35 kilometres, Catalan rider Íngrid Ruiz (Team Farto-BTC) took centre stage with an attack in pursuit of Molenaar, but no move could prevent the peloton – in which powerful teams such as FDJ United-Suez and Cofidis were working together – from reabsorbing the breakaway. Laura Molenaar was caught 6 kilometres from the finish line, and the stage was set for a mass sprint among the fastest riders in the peloton in Santa Susanna, which had been reduced in size by a crash in the peloton just before the final kilometre.
Finally, a pure sprinter such as the 22-year-old Dutch rider Nienke Veenhoven claimed victory, securing a fine one-two finish alongside her Team Visma-Lease a Bike team-mate, Marianne Vos. The winner of the first edition of the Volta a Catalunya now sits in second place in the general classification thanks to the time bonuses, ahead of a decisive mountain stage this Saturday covering 130 kilometers between Sant Vicenç de Castellet and La Molina, featuring climbs such as the Coll de la Batallola (3rd category) and the Coll de la Creueta (special category).
