The first edition of La Vuelta Femenina will begin on 1st May 2023, the seven-stage race starts in Torrevieja and travels north through Spain to finish on the famous Lagos de Covadonga. It marks a new format and a new slot in the calendar for the race previously known as Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, which last ran for five days in September 2022 alongside the men’s Vuelta a España.
The 2022 edition of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta was won by Giro Donne and Tour de France Femmes champion Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) for the second year in a row ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (Trek-Segafredo) and Demi Vollering (SD Worx).
Van Vleuten has not started the 2023 season in ideal fashion however. For the first time since 2015, the 40-year-old has not won a UCI race by the end of April. Last year, she had already topped the overall standings at the Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and won both Omloop Het Niewsblad and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. That doesn’t mean you should count her out though, it’s Van Vleuten. Do count out Longo Borghini though; the Italian unfortunately announced that she will not be at the race due to a stomach bug.
Demi Vollering (SD Worx) has enjoyed a historically successful season and isn’t showing signs of slowing. The Ardennes Triple winner has either won or finished second in every race she’s competed in since beating teammate Lotte Kopecky in a sprint finish at Strade Bianche. Quite some feat, and quite some target on her back heading into the first Grand Tour of the year.
La Vuelta Femenina 2023: Key information
Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
Date: 1st – 7th May 2023Start: Torrevieja, AlicanteFinish: Lagos de Covadogna, AsturiasDistance: 703.3kmLive TV coverage: GCN+, Discovery+, Eurosport 1 and 2
La Vuelta Femenina 2023: Route and stage profiles
With the Ceratizit Challenge criticised for its lack of versatility in route design, the first edition of La Vuelta Femenina has a varied parcours for 2023. Beginning with a team time-trial, the following two stages are flatter for the sprinters before the race then heads to the mountains.
Stage 1: Torrevieja – Torrevieja, 14.5km. (TTT)
A flat opener for the peloton. Who doesn’t enjoy a team time-trial? In 2022, Trek-Segafedo won the Stage 1 TTT of the Ceratizit Challenge by six seconds ahead of Team BikeExchange-Jayco (now Jayco-AlUla).
Stage 2: Orihuela – Pilar de la Horadada, 105.8km.
The second stage is a 105km trip out from Orihuela, with the Category 4 Puerto de Rebate (7.6km, 1.2%) not likely to impact the general classification battle before the finish into Pilar de la Horadada.
Stage 3:Elche de la Sierra – La Roda, 157.8km.
Another flat day, Stage 3 from Elche de la Sierra to La Roda is the longest day in the saddle for the peloton at 157.8km.
Stage 4:Cuenca – Guadalajara, 133.1km.
Things start to ramp up on Stage 4. The Category 3 Alto de Horche (4km, 4.9%) hits just close enough to the finish in Guadalajara to potentially serve as a launch pad for a determined breakaway or a group of overall contenders.
Stage 5: La Cabrera – Mirador de Peñas Llanas, Riaza, 129.2km.
The first mountain stage of La Vuelta Femenina delivers its first summit finish. After scaling the Category 1 Puerto de Navafria (11.5km, 5.8%) halfway through the day, the peloton head towards the Mirador de Peñas Llanas (5km, 6.7%) to shake out the GC.
Stage 6: Castro-Urdiales – Laredo, 106.1km.
A reduced bunch sprint after two Category 2 climbs, anyone?
Stage 7:Pola de Siero – Lagos de Covadonga, 93.7km.
La Vuelta Femenina finishes with what should be a dramatic climax on Lagos de Covadonga. The climb (12.5km, 6.9%) is frequently used during the men’s Vuelta a España, and was key in Primož Roglič reclaiming the red jersey at the 2021 race.
La Vuelta Femenina 2023: How to watch on TV and live streaming
In the UK, Europe and select international territories, La Vuelta Femenina will be broadcast and live-streamed on Eurosport, GCN+ and Discovery+, with the full race available to watch back afterwards on GCN+ and highlights on YouTube via GCN Racing and Eurosport.
UK pricing for a GCN+ subscription is £6.99 a month or £39.99 per year. GCN+ is ad-free, gives commentary choices and provides cycling-based documentaries to watch. The Entertainment & Sports pass Discovery+ subscription costs £6.99 a month or £59.99 a year and includes both sports and entertainment as the name suggests, so you can catch the cycling and then switch on Wheeler Dealers or 90 Day Fiancé.
Broadcasters with live coverage
Australia: SBSBelgium: RTBFCanada: FloBikesColombia: RTVC SeñalDenmark: TV2Europe: GCN+, EurosportJapan: JSportsLatin America and Caribbean: ESPNMiddle East and North Africa: SSCNetherlands: NOSNorway: TV2New Zealand: Sky SportSouth East Asia & Pacific: Eurosport AsiaSpain: RTVESubsaharan Africa: SupersportUnited States: Peacock
Live TV and streaming times
All times BST and subject to change by broadcasters
Stage 1: Torrevieja – Torrevieja, 14.5km. (TTT)
GCN+: 11:30 – 13:30Eurosport 2: 12:30 – 14:15
Stage 2: Orihuela – Pilar de la Horadada, 105.1km.
GCN+: 14:30 – 16:30Eurosport 1: 15:30 – 17:15
Stage 3: Elche de la Sierra – La Roda, 157.8km.
GCN+: 14:30 – 16:30Eurosport 1: 15:30 – 17:15
Stage 4: Cuenca – Guadalajara, 133.1km.
GCN+: 14:30 – 16:30Eurosport 1: 15:30 – 15:15
Stage 5: La Cabrera – Mirador de Peñas Llanas, Riaza, 129.2km.
GCN+: 13:00 – 15:00Eurosport 1: 14:00 – 15:45
Stage 6: Castro-Urdiales – Laredo, 106.1km.
GCN+: 13:00 – 15:00
Stage 7: Pola de Siero – Lagos de Covadonga, 93.7km.
GCN+: 13:00 – 15:00
La Vuelta Femenina 2023: Teams
BePink
Bizkaia-Durango
Cantabria Deporte – Rio Miera
Canyon SRAM
Eneicat-CMTeam-Seguros Deportivos
EF Education Tibco-SVB
Farto-BTC
FDJ-Suez
Israel Premier Tech Roland
Jayco-AlUla
Jumbo-Visma
Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi
Liv Racing Teqfind
Massi Tactic Women’s Team
Movistar Team Women
Soltec Team
Sopela Women’s Team
St Michael-Mavic-Auber93
Team Coop-Hitec Products
Team DSM
Trek-Segafredo
SD Worx
UAE Team ADQ
Despite initially receiving an invitation to the race, UCI Continental team ZAAF will no longer be on the start line. The team is under investigation for not paying riders this season and no longer appears on the UCI website.
Tags: Vuelta a EspañaWomen’s Cycling
