Last year's winner attacked on the final climb three kilometres before the end out of a group of six that her team-mate Juliette Labous had created by stepping up the pace. Only Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team), who finished second 24 seconds behind, was initially able to follow, but then had to shift down a gear. Anna van der Breggen (Team SD Worx - Protime) had already done this shortly before in order to set her own pace in the Vollering attack. She ultimately finished 56 seconds behind in third place.

Vollering, who has also taken the lead in the mountains classification, now leads the overall standings by 45 seconds ahead of van der Breggen and a further 45 seconds ahead of Reusser. Fourth-placed Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education-Oatly) is already almost a minute and a half behind.

Vollering gives an emotional winner's interview on the reel

Vollering, for whom it was her fourth win of the season and the 48th of her career, gave her winner's interview on the roll out. "I'm very happy and proud of the team," she said, before starting to sob. "Someone close to me is going through a tough time mentally right now, she began. "I see so many young people around me who are struggling mentally. I know I'm mentally strong and can win big races because of that, but some people's brains are too strong - but in the wrong direction. That's why they have a hard time."

She had already introduced her message, which was apparently intended to draw attention to psychological problems, with a finger gesture against her helmet as she crossed the finish line at the Lagunas de Neila after 120 kilometres.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévor (Visma | Lease a Bike), on the other hand, didn't even see the start arch. After the Frenchwoman had already lost a lot of time on the previous day and her chances of a Vuelta podium had dwindled considerably, she didn't start the fifth stage.

La Vuelta Femenina 2025 - Results of stage 5

>> Lidl-Trek wins the opening time trial of the Vuelta Femenina 2025

>> La Vuelta Femenina 2025 - Stage 2: Vos cheers in the uphill sprint

>> La Vuelta Femenina 2025 - Stage 3: Gerritse sprints clear of Vos

>> La Vuelta Femenina 2025 - Stage 4: Van der Breggen celebrates first victory after comeback

>> La Vuelta Femenina 2025: route, live ticker, start list

How the 5th stage of the Vuelta Femenina 2025 went

She finally made it - but only at the second attempt. Lea Lin Teutenberg (Lotto Ladies) was the first to go on the offensive on stage 5. Her attempt failed, as did those of numerous other women in the first few kilometres of the stage. But after just under 40 kilometres, Teutenberg was part of a group of four that was able to break away from the peloton.

Maike van der Duin (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), Julia Borgström (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto) and Arianna Fidanza (Laboral Kutxa - Fundación Euskadi) also took part. The quartet put in a good performance, gaining more than three minutes in the meantime and making it to the climb to the first mountain classification of the day at the Alto de Rozavientos (2nd category).

Gerritse crashes in the red jersey

However, the gap quickly shrank there and everyone was back in the lead before they reached the summit. However, the pace in the peloton had also increased significantly. All kinds of riders lost contact, including the red jersey Femke Gerritse (Team SD Worx - Protime), who crashed through her own fault and fell back as a result.

At the top, the group of favourites had shrunk to twelve riders, with Niamh Fisher-Black (Lidl - Trek) taking the mountain classification. However, a handful of women made it back before the final climb of around ten kilometres up to the Lagunas de Neila (1st category).

Mareille Meijering (Movistar Team) made the first move there and built up a lead of up to 50 seconds. Initially, only Mischa Bredewold (Team SD Worx - Protime) followed, but the former European champion was quickly caught again. At the 4-kilometre mark, Labous then laid his cards on the table, leaving Meijering with just 20 seconds, which were also used up shortly afterwards.

Labous opens final

The renewed increase in speed was also too much for Kasia Nieiwadoma (CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto), leaving only a group of six: Vollering, Reusser, van der Breggen, Fisher-Black, Kerbaol and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck).

With three kilometres to go, Vollering attacked - only Reusser was able to keep up. But not for long either. Shortly afterwards, everyone in the three-man chasing group did their thing. Vollering started the last 1000 metres with 25 seconds on Reusser and 40 on van der Breggen.

However, the order of the top 3 did not change, even though Rooijakkers came dangerously close to van der Breggen again.