The 10th edition of the Setmana Ciclista – Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana begins on Thursday with 13 of the 14 UCI Women's WorldTeams on the startlist, underlining its status as one of the key early-season stage races on the women's calendar despite lacking WorldTour status.
Covering 481.5 kilometres and more than 6,000 metres of elevation across four days, the race through Spain's Mediterranean coast and Valencian hinterland is the first GC stage race of the year for many riders building towards the Spring Classics and the Tour de France Femmes.
Defending champion and reigning European champion Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) headlines the field, making her 2026 season debut. Vollering won the race last year with an aggressive long-range attack on the opening stage in Gandia, and logged an impressive 152km training ride on Strava to recce stage 3 of the race. However, she faces a deeper field of GC challengers than in previous editions.
Watch Setmana Ciclista 2026 for free
The 2026 Setmana Valenciana has official coverage available entirely for free from the race organisers:
- YouTube: The RD3 Eventos Desportivos channel provides the global live feed.
- Official Website: The "LIVE – DIRECTO" page at setmanaciclista.com integrates the video and a live ticker.
Setmana Ciclista Valenciana Race Times
Thursday 12 February 2026 • Gandia → Gandia
| Timezone | Estimated Finish Stage 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Local | CET / UTC+1 | 16:45 |
2 (Feb 13) - Friday 13 February 2026 • Vila-Real → Vila-Real
- Estimated Finish Stage 2: 16:45
3 (Feb 14) - Saturday 14 February 2026 • Agost → La Nucia
- Estimated Finish Stage 3: 17:00
4 (Feb 15) - Sunday 15 February 2026 • Sagunt → València
- Estimated Finish Stage 4: 11:45
Route Overview
The route combines punchy coastal terrain with a demanding mountain stage that suits climbing specialists and versatile stage racers. The final day into València showcases a city-centre sprint finish.
Race Stages
4 Stages • 481.5km total
| Stage | Date | Route | Distance | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 12 | Gandia | 121 km | Road Stage |
| 2 | Feb 13 | Vila-Real | 115.5 km | Road Stage |
| 3 | Feb 14 | Agost - La Nucia | 128 km | Road Stage |
| 4 | Feb 15 | Sagunt - València | 117 km | Road Stage |
Key Stages
The opening stage in Gandia features a hilly finale with short, steep gradients that historically punish pure sprinters. Vollering used this terrain in 2025 to establish a GC lead on day one. Riders with a strong punch, such as Liane Lippert (Movistar Team), should thrive here.
Stage 2 around Vila-real crosses exposed coastal plains that are susceptible to crosswinds. Teams like FDJ United-SUEZ and Lidl-Trek possess the horsepower to force echelons on these roads, potentially splitting the peloton before it even reaches the Marianet, Eslida, and Aín climbs. This stage could cause significant GC damage without a single mountaintop selection.
Stage 3 from Agost to La Nucía is where the overall classification will likely be decided. The Alto de Tudons, a 12–15 kilometre ascent averaging around 5%, will expose early-season climbing form and force teams to commit their domestiques.
The Queen Stage - Stage 3 of Setmana Ciclista
The subsequent Alto de Confrides, roughly 5–6 kilometres at a similar gradient, arrives when legs are already heavy. The stage does not finish at the summit. The technical descent into La Nucía is likely to favour strong descenders, and a small GC group cresting Confrides together may not stay together to the line.
The final stage into València features the Port de l'Oronet mid-race, likely enough to shed the weakest sprinters, before a flat run-in to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. If GC gaps are narrow, intermediate bonus seconds en route could turn this from a sprinters' stage into one where general classification riders are also active at the front.
GC Contenders
Vollering starts as the favourite, arriving with a carefully planned early-season programme. Her FDJ United-SUEZ squad includes Élise Chabbey, Évita Muzic, and Amber Kraak, providing strong mountain support. The main uncertainty is whether Vollering can replicate her 2025 dominance against a field that has strengthened around her.
Lippert enters with proven form, having won a one-day race in the Valencia region just last week. She leads a Movistar squad motivated to deliver on home roads, and her ability to punch over short climbs makes her a particular threat on Stage 1. If she takes time there, her team can ride defensively on the queen stage.
Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon//SRAM) is among the strongest pure climbers in the field and is well suited to the Tudons–Confrides sequence. Alongside Cécilie Uttrup Ludwig, Canyon//SRAM have a team capable of animating the queen stage from distance. Niedermaier's lightweight build should suit the final kilometres of the decisive climbs, where gaps often open.
Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) confirmed her progression with a strong 2025 campaign and arrives alongside current world champion Magdeleine Vallieres, giving EF a potent one-two.
Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek) and Pauliena Rooijakkers (UAE Team ADQ) are further GC options. Realini benefits from riding within a team that can control proceedings on flat stages for Elisa Balsamo's sprint ambitions, while Rooijakkers brings Grand Tour experience to the Valencian mountains.
Sprint Battles
The absence of Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime) and Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) from the startlist significantly reshapes the flat finishes. Balsamo, who won a stage here in 2025 and has Lidl-Trek's lead-out train including Clara Copponi at her disposal, is the standout favourite for bunch sprints on Stages 2 and 4.
Eleonora Gasparrini (UAE Team ADQ) is a consistent threat in reduced-group finishes and handles intermediate climbs better than most pure sprinters, making her dangerous if the peloton is thinned but not shattered. Cat Ferguson (Movistar Team), the former junior world champion, is a wildcard for the hillier finishes where her ability to handle gradients before delivering a fast kick could prove decisive.
Prediction
Vollering's preparation, team strength, and proven ability on this terrain make her the most likely winner. However, Niedermaier has the climbing legs to challenge on Stage 3, and Lippert's early-season sharpness could see her take time on the opening day. The podium may well come down to how much time Vollering can gain on the Tudons–Confrides sequence, and whether Niedermaier or Lippert can limit the damage.
Predicted GC podium: Vollering, Niedermaier, Lippert. Balsamo to take at least one stage win in the bunch finishes, with the Stage 1 finale in Gandia looking the most open day of racing.
Cover image credit: Thomas Maheux/SWpix.com
