Germany’s most important women’s race: Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region 2026

​The Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region has long since established itself as the most important one-day race for professional women in Germany. Year after year, the race attracts top international riders and offers the local audience a rare opportunity to experience the world’s elite in women’s cycling up close. The field competing for the prestigious victory this year is, as ever, of the highest calibre. It’s that time of year again on Sunday 13 September.

​Challenging terrain around Stuttgart

The route of the Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region traditionally winds through the hilly terrain surrounding the capital of Baden-Württemberg. Numerous short but sometimes steep climbs mean that pure sprinters rarely have a chance. Instead, the race favours riders who possess climbing prowess, racing intelligence and the ability to make a decisive impact even after several hours of racing.

Due to the constant ups and downs, the race usually becomes selective early on. Attacks in the final kilometres are therefore almost a tradition of the race. Anyone who wants to win in the end needs not only strong legs, but also the right timing.

The favourites at the Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region

​When it comes to the role of favourite, there is no getting round Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini at the Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region. The Italian rider from UAE Team L’Imad has won the last two editions and therefore knows the race’s demanding course inside out. On the undulating course, her finishing speed and her ability to handle even longer climbs come into their own. Accordingly, she travels to Stuttgart as the defending champion and arguably the most frequently mentioned contender for victory.

But Gasparrini is not alone in the strong UAE line-up. With Karlijn Swinkels and Dominika Włodarczyk, she has two team-mates by her side who themselves have the potential to finish in the top places. Włodarczyk, in particular, has repeatedly demonstrated over recent years that she excels in demanding one-day races. This could open up numerous tactical possibilities for UAE.

Germany's hopes

FDJ United – Suez boasts a line-up that is at least as strong. From a German perspective, hopes for the Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region rest primarily on Franziska Koch, who is particularly at home on such courses and is likely to draw extra motivation from riding in front of a home crowd. In addition, the French team is fielding Ally Wollaston, a rider who has demonstrated her class on several occasions this season. The New Zealander has a fast sprint from smaller groups, but will need to shake off the true sprinters.

Liane Lippert is also among the narrow circle of favourites. As a strong season draws to a close, she too wants to show the home crowd once again what she is capable of. Her climbing ability is not the issue; however, Lippert is at a slight disadvantage against the sprint-strong classics specialists.

Elisa Balsamo of Lidl-Trek is also likely to play a key role. The Women’s Cycling Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region is generally considered too demanding for traditional sprinters. However, Balsamo most recently competed in the Classic Lorient Agglomération has shown that she can hold her own right at the front, even on undulating terrain. Should the race, surprisingly, be run at a controlled pace and a large group reach the final kilometres together, the Italian would probably be the fastest rider in the peloton. However, the traditionally selective nature of the race makes such a scenario rather unlikely.

The wider group of favourites also includes Antonia Niedermaier and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (both Canyon//Sram) as well as Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek). They all possess the qualities needed to make a decisive impact on the race on the climbs and put the favourites under pressure. However, it seems most likely once again that the final stage will suit the tough classics specialists. In that case, the main question is likely to be: can anyone stop Eleonora Camilla Gasparrini from securing her third consecutive victory?