La Vuelta Femenina 2025 Stage 3 - Femke Gerritse scores victory in bunch sprint finale in Huesca, takes control of race lead

Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-ProTime) capitalised on good legs and a confidence boost at the intermediate sprint to take a first World Tour victory on Stage 3 of La Vuelta Femenina on Tuesday. Gerritse also took control of the red jersey following a strong day in the saddle for SD Worx. It was a stage that rapidly descended from controlled to chaotic with the impact of crosswinds in the final 30km causing a rise in the stress levels within the bunch, a number of late crashes, and a high-speed chase to the finish line.

It was during this final sprint where the Dutchwoman benefitted from the hard work of her team, who rode her into position and gave her the perfect lead-out. From there, it was a head-to-head against yesterday’s stage winner Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike), but Gerritse was the stronger sprinter on the day and was able to hold off the green jersey to take a precious victory, and reward her team’s hard work.

After two sprints in two days, tomorrow will see the GC battle get underway properly, with a stage classified as a 'medium-mountain' test by the road book. With two climbs on the menu, it is all to play for ahead of the bigger mountain stages later in the week, so expect an aggressive and open day on the roads.

Join us again for live coverage of Stage 4 tomorrow afternoon from 14:30 UK time.

Speaking immediately after the race, today's winner said: "It was crazy. I really didn't expect this today. I took the bonus sprint and I thought, okay, my sprint is good, but this final was so chaotic, so I just stayed calm, and I felt Marianne coming, but I could keep first place. So yeah, it's really crazy.

"It was a really chaotic stage, because the first part was really twisty and turning and wet also, and up and down, and then the wind was coming. But it was not really the good direction. I think it was hard enough, but it was more headwind than echelon wind. But in the end, yeah, I was happy that this was a sprint, and I had the really perfect lead out. So I'm really grateful for the team.

"It was full headwind till the town, and then we took the lead, I think, with 2k to go, and Anna and Mischa, they are just so amazing, because they kept on going and going, and I could stay calm. And it was really the perfect lead out."

The overall classification has seen another major reshuffle following today's race, heading into the next few tougher mountain stages. Though the sprinters lead the way - with Femke Gerritse taking the race lead from Letizia Paternoster who is now in third behind Marianne Vos - those who will be launching their GC campaigns from tomorrow onward will have their eyes on the few in the top 10 who have already managed to carve out a small advantage, including Anna van der Breggen and Mavi Garcia.

1. Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-ProTime) - 6:07.50

2. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) +12"

3. Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco) +12"

4. Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) +17"

5. Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek) +17"

6. Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl-Trek) +17"

7. Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco) +20"

8. Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-ProTime) +20"

9. Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-ProTime) +20"

10. Mavi Garcia (Liv AlUla Jayco) +20"

1. Femke Gerritse (SD Worx-ProTime)

2. Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike)

3. Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility)

4. Mischa Bredewold (SD Worx-Protime)

5. Megan Jastrab (Picnic PostNL)

6. Vittoria Guazzini (FDJ-Suez)

7. Letizia Paternoster (Liv AlUla Jayco)

8. Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto)

9. Cat Ferguson (Movistar)

10. Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto)

Femke Gerriste launches her sprint first and it is a straight head-to-head battle between the Dutchwoman for SD Worx-Protime and Marianne Vos, but the GOAT cannot pass Gerritse, who is clearly enjoying great legs today. With the bonus seconds she has accrued both at the intermediate sprint and on the finish line, Gerritse takes the red jersey of overall GC leader ahead of tomorrow's stage.

Linda Zanetti (Uno-X Mobility) takes third.

Gerritse, Ferguson, and Vos are all prominent.

Team SD Worx-ProTime have the front position heading under the flamme rouge.

A major crash at the back of the bunch - more info as we have it.

Plenty of jostling in the bunch as Picnic-PostNL take over the lead position at the head of the race, with Anna van der Breggen behind her.

Kristen Faulkner tries to launch a move but Pfeiffer Georgi closes her down.

Imogen Wolff and Femke de Vries pilot Marianne Vos up the outside of the peloton and into position. Right now though, it's Cofidis and EF Education-Oatly who lead the charge.

The pace is high and the tension higher as the peloton jostle for position ahead of today's sprint showdown. Can Marianne Vos make it two wins in two stages as the race arrives in Huesca?

10 kilometres remain on today's stage, and the teams begin to prepare for today's final.

Outside of Vos and Paternoster, Gerritse looks to be the favorite for today's final sprint, should it transpire as expected. More riders in with a shot at a fast finish include Letizia Borghesi (EF Education-Oatly), who came third yesterday, Cat Ferguson (Movistar), Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ), Maike van der Duin (Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto) and Susanne Andersen (Uno-X Mobility).

Emma Norsgaard has done an incredible job here of getting herself on the front of the bunch and slowing them all down to try and allow her Lidl-Trek teammates to come back to the peloton - and it's worked. The sting goes out of the pace and the second group on the road are able to rejoin the lead group.

A coming together at the back of the bunch briefly holds up Pfeiffer Georgi and Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Oatly) but they are quickly back on and driving through to the front of the group.

Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance-Soudal) is caught in the group behind, as is Neve Bradbury (Canyon//SRAM zonacrypto) who already lost over two minutes after a late crash on yesterday's stage. Worst affected though are Lidl-Trek - in addition to van Dijk, Anna Henderson and Shirin van Anrooij are also dropped and working in group 2, which is now 16 seconds behind the lead group,

Picnic-PostNL apply the pressure yet again, looking to split the race once again.

At the back of the bunch there's a crash, and a few riders are held up trying to fix their bikes, including the current Queen of the Mountains, Ane Santesteban.

More gaps are opening under the fearsome pace-setting of Picnic-PostNL.

Franziska Koch (Team Picnic-PostNL) piles on the pressure at the front of the bunch - she's clearly trying to force further echelons but they don't form despite her powerful attack. SD Worx return to controlling the pace with Lidl-Trek and FDJ SUEZ also prominent.

And now there is another split - a group of around 10 riders dropped from the main group, including Pauliene Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Ellen van Dijk (Lidl-Trek).