AG Insurance - Soudal Debuts at La Vuelta Femenina

AG Insurance - Soudal will make its debut this Sunday in one of the most prestigious stage races in women's cycling: La Vuelta Femenina. The battle for the coveted red jersey promises to be an exciting one from April 28 to May 5. The race kicks off with a 16 kilometer time trial in Valencia, offering the riders a perfect opportunity to start strong. The route continues with a mix of hilly and mountainous stages.

La Vuelta Femenina presents a course full of variety that challenges both climbers and sprinters. The hilly second and seventh stages, from Buñol to Moncofa (118.5 kilometers) and from San Esteban de Gormaz to Sigüenza (139 kilometers), will challenge the riders with their undulating terrains.

The third stage offers a first serious climbing test with moderately high mountains over the 130.5-kilometer route from Lucena to Teruel. This is followed by the fourth stage, a flat sprinter’s ride of 142.5 kilometers from Molina de Aragón to Zaragoza.

The real high mountain challenges are saved for the fifth and sixth stages. From Huesca to Jaca (114 kilometers) and from Tarazona to La Laguna Negra, Vinuesa (132.5 kilometers), these stages will be crucial for the general classification riders. The race concludes with a finish in the mountains: the eighth stage of 89.5 kilometers takes the riders from Distrito Telefónica to Valdesquí in the Comunidad de Madrid, where climbing specialists get the last chance to create significant time differences and solidify their positions in the overall standings.

Stijn Steels, sports director of AG Insurance - Soudal, is optimistic about the team’s chances in La Vuelta Femenina and shares his expectations with enthusiasm: “We expect to perform well this race. Justine has really been in form in recent weeks, so we’re counting on her to continue this trend. Ashleigh and Sarah have proven themselves during the Ardennes triple, so with them, we are especially aiming high for the overall classification. For Mireia, it's actually a home race, which is always an extra incentive.”

“The time trial on the first day will immediately give us a good indication of our position. We have a strong classification team ready to support Sarah and Ashleigh, and I am convinced that we are ready to achieve a good result.”