Femke de Vries claims opening stage victory at 2026 Tour de Suisse Women
Dutch rider Femke de Vries (Visma‑Lease a Bike) won the first stage of the 2026 Tour de Suisse Women, which started and finished in Sondrio, completing the 109.3‑km course in 2 h 56 min 23 s. She secured the race lead with a four‑second advantage over Britain’s Lauren Dickson (FDJ United‑Suez), while France’s Cadrine Kerbaol (EF Education‑Oatly) rounded out the podium.
The event prompted temporary traffic changes in Sondrio and surrounding villages. From 05:30 to about 18:30 on race day, the stretch between Piazza Garibaldi and the Vanoni roundabout was closed to all vehicular traffic, with limited east‑west crossing permitted at specific intersections. Additional road closures and parking bans were imposed in nearby streets during the race.
In the second stage, Slovenian rider Urška Žigart suffered a crash in the final kilometre, resulting in a jaw fracture. She was attended by the race medical team and her team’s doctors before being taken to hospital for further checks. AG Insurance‑Soudal confirmed her condition and stated that no other injuries were detected, and that she will receive appropriate treatment and recovery support.
The race will continue with a second stage from Locarno, covering 105.6 km.