# 2021 Challenge by La Vuelta

The 2021 Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta was a women's road cycling stage race that was held in the region of Galicia in northwestern Spain from 2 to 5 September 2021. It was the seventh edition of the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta and was the fifteenth event on the 2021 UCI Women's World Tour calendar. As with previous editions, the final day of the race coincided with the final day of the Vuelta a España.

## Teams

All nine UCI Women's WorldTeams and fifteen UCI Women's Continental Teams made up the twenty-four teams that participated in the race. Several teams did not enter a full squad of six riders: Alé BTC Ljubljana, Eneicat–RBH Global–Martín Villa, FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope, InstaFund Racing, and Team BikeExchange each entered five riders, while Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling only entered four. In total, 137 riders started the race, of which 111 finished.
UCI Women's WorldTeams
* Alé BTC Ljubljana
* Canyon–SRAM
* FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope
* Liv Racing
* Movistar Team
* SD Worx
* Team BikeExchange
* Team DSM
* Trek–Segafredo
UCI Women's Continental Teams
* Bepink
* Bizkaia–Durango
* Burgos Alimenta Women Cycling Sport
* Ceratizit–WNT Pro Cycling
* Eneicat–RBH Global–Martín Villa
* InstaFund Racing
* Laboral Kutxa–Fundación Euskadi
* Massi–Tactic
* Río Miera–Cantabria Deporte
* Sopela Women's Team
* Team Coop–Hitec Products
* Team Farto–BTC
* Team Jumbo–Visma
* Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank
* Valcar–Travel & Service

## Route

The 2021 edition increased the number of stages to 4, with the race finishing in Santiago de Compostela. As usual, the final stage took place in conjunction with the final stage of the 2021 Vuelta a España.
Stage characteristics and winners :
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Type | Winner |
| 1 | 2 September | Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda to A Rúa | 118.7 km (73.8 mi) | | Hilly stage | Marlen Reusser (SUI) |
| 2 | 3 September | Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda | 7.3 km (4.5 mi) | | Mountain time trial | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) |
| 3 | 4 September | Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda to O Pereiro de Aguiar | 107.9 km (67.0 mi) | | Hilly stage | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) |
| 4 | 5 September | As Pontes to Santiago de Compostela | 107.4 km (66.7 mi) | | Flat stage | Lotte Kopecky (BEL) |
| Total | Total | 341.3 km (212.1 mi) | 341.3 km (212.1 mi) | 341.3 km (212.1 mi) | 341.3 km (212.1 mi) | 341.3 km (212.1 mi) |

## Stages
### Stage 1
#### 2 September 2021 — Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda to A Rúa, 118.7 km (73.8 mi)

Stage 1 Result :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | 3h 07' 46" |
| 2 | Coryn Rivera (USA) | Team DSM | + 22" |
| 3 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 22" |
| 4 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 22" |
| 5 | Elisa Balsamo (ITA) | Valcar–Travel & Service | + 1' 48" |
| 6 | Anna Henderson (GBR) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 1' 48" |
| 7 | Lotte Kopecky (BEL) | Liv Racing | + 1' 48" |
| 8 | Alison Jackson (CAN) | Liv Racing | + 1' 48" |
| 9 | Marie Le Net (FRA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 1' 48" |
| 10 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 1' 48" |
General classification after Stage 1 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | 3h 07' 36" |
| 2 | Coryn Rivera (USA) | Team DSM | + 26" |
| 3 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 28" |
| 4 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 32" |
| 5 | Elisa Balsamo (ITA) | Valcar–Travel & Service | + 1' 58" |
| 6 | Anna Henderson (GBR) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 1' 58" |
| 7 | Lotte Kopecky (BEL) | Liv Racing | + 1' 58" |
| 8 | Alison Jackson (CAN) | Liv Racing | + 1' 58" |
| 9 | Marie Le Net (FRA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 1' 58" |
| 10 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 1' 58" |

### Stage 2
#### 3 September 2021 — Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda, 7.3 km (4.5 mi) (ITT)

Stage 2 Result :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | 19' 08" |
| 2 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | + 20" |
| 3 | Marta Cavalli (ITA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 28" |
| 4 | Kristen Faulkner (USA) | Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank | + 48" |
| 5 | Leah Thomas (USA) | Movistar Team | + 59" |
| 6 | Juliette Labous (FRA) | Team DSM | + 1' 00" |
| 7 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 1' 15" |
| 8 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | + 1' 20" |
| 9 | Urška Žigart (SLO) | Team BikeExchange | + 1' 23" |
| 10 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 1' 24" |
General classification after Stage 2 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | 3h 27' 03" |
| 2 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 1' 36" |
| 3 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | + 1' 39" |
| 4 | Coryn Rivera (USA) | Team DSM | + 1' 45" |
| 5 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 1' 48" |
| 6 | Marta Cavalli (ITA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 2' 06" |
| 7 | Kristen Faulkner (USA) | Tibco–Silicon Valley Bank | + 2' 26" |
| 8 | Leah Thomas (USA) | Movistar Team | + 2' 37" |
| 9 | Juliette Labous (FRA) | Team DSM | + 2' 38" |
| 10 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 2' 54" |

### Stage 3
#### 4 September 2021 — Estación de Montaña de Manzaneda to O Pereiro de Aguiar, 107.9 km (67.0 mi)

Stage 3 Result :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | 2h 41' 53" |
| 2 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 2' 48" |
| 3 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | + 2' 48" |
| 4 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) | Trek–Segafredo | + 2' 51" |
| 5 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 2' 55" |
| 6 | Kata Blanka Vas (HUN) | SD Worx | + 3' 01" |
| 7 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 3' 01" |
| 8 | Marta Cavalli (ITA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 3' 01" |
| 9 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | + 3' 03" |
| 10 | Elisa Balsamo (ITA) | Valcar–Travel & Service | + 7' 13" |
General classification after Stage 3 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | 6h 10' 25" |
| 2 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | + 1' 34" |
| 3 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 3' 20" |
| 4 | Marta Cavalli (ITA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 3' 38" |
| 5 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 4' 07" |
| 6 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | + 4' 14" |
| 7 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) | Trek–Segafredo | + 4' 35" |
| 8 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 4' 46" |
| 9 | Kata Blanka Vas (HUN) | SD Worx | + 5' 07" |
| 10 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 7' 30" |

### Stage 4
#### 5 September 2021 — As Pontes to Santiago de Compostela, 107.4 km (66.7 mi)

Stage 4 Result :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Lotte Kopecky (BEL) | Liv Racing | 2h 29' 37" |
| 2 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) | Trek–Segafredo | + 0" |
| 3 | Anna Henderson (GBR) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 4" |
| 4 | Kata Blanka Vas (HUN) | SD Worx | + 6" |
| 5 | Silvia Zanardi (ITA) | Valcar–Travel & Service | + 6" |
| 6 | Elisa Balsamo (ITA) | Valcar–Travel & Service | + 6" |
| 7 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | + 6" |
| 8 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 8" |
| 9 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 8" |
| 10 | Riejanne Markus (NED) | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 8" |
General classification after Stage 4 :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | 8h 40' 18" |
| 2 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | + 1' 34" |
| 3 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 3' 12" |
| 4 | Marta Cavalli (ITA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 3' 30" |
| 5 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 3' 59" |
| 6 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | + 4' 04" |
| 7 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) | Trek–Segafredo | + 4' 13" |
| 8 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 4' 38" |
| 9 | Kata Blanka Vas (HUN) | SD Worx | + 4' 57" |
| 10 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 7' 58" |

## Classification leadership table

| Stage | Winner | General classification | Points classification | Team classification |
| 1 | Marlen Reusser | Marlen Reusser | Marlen Reusser | Alé BTC Ljubljana |
| 2 | Annemiek van Vleuten | Marlen Reusser | Marlen Reusser | Alé BTC Ljubljana |
| 3 | Annemiek van Vleuten | Annemiek van Vleuten | Marlen Reusser | Canyon–SRAM |
| 4 | Lotte Kopecky | Annemiek van Vleuten | Lotte Kopecky | Canyon–SRAM |
| Final | Final | Annemiek van Vleuten | Lotte Kopecky | Canyon–SRAM |
* On stages 2 and 3, Coryn Rivera, who was second in the points classification, wore the green jersey, because first-placed Marlen Reusser wore the red jersey as the leader of the general classification.

## Current classification standings

Legend :
| Denotes the leader of the general classification | Denotes the leader of the points classification |

### General classification

Final general classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | 8h 40' 18" |
| 2 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | + 1' 34" |
| 3 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | + 3' 12" |
| 4 | Marta Cavalli (ITA) | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 3' 30" |
| 5 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | + 3' 59" |
| 6 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | + 4' 04" |
| 7 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) | Trek–Segafredo | + 4' 13" |
| 8 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | + 4' 38" |
| 9 | Kata Blanka Vas (HUN) | SD Worx | + 4' 57" |
| 10 | Pauliena Rooijakkers (NED) | Liv Racing | + 7' 58" |

### Points classification

Final points classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | Lotte Kopecky (BEL) | Liv Racing | 38 |
| 2 | Elisa Longo Borghini (ITA) | Trek–Segafredo | 34 |
| 3 | Marlen Reusser (SUI) | Alé BTC Ljubljana | 32 |
| 4 | Anna Henderson (GBR) | Team Jumbo–Visma | 31 |
| 5 | Elise Chabbey (SUI) | Canyon–SRAM | 29 |
| 6 | Liane Lippert (GER) | Team DSM | 28 |
| 7 | Elisa Balsamo (ITA) | Valcar–Travel & Service | 28 |
| 8 | Annemiek van Vleuten (NED) | Movistar Team | 25 |
| 9 | Katarzyna Niewiadoma (POL) | Canyon–SRAM | 25 |
| 10 | Floortje Mackaij (NED) | Team DSM | 25 |

### Team classification

Final team classification (1–10) :
| Rank | Team | Time |
| 1 | Canyon–SRAM | 26h 17' 33" |
| 2 | Movistar Team | + 1' 43" |
| 3 | Alé BTC Ljubljana | + 3' 33" |
| 4 | Trek–Segafredo | + 5' 57" |
| 5 | SD Worx | + 6' 36" |
| 6 | FDJ Nouvelle-Aquitaine Futuroscope | + 6' 37" |
| 7 | Liv Racing | + 10' 38" |
| 8 | Team Jumbo–Visma | + 11' 23" |
| 9 | Team BikeExchange | + 11' 54" |
| 10 | Valcar–Travel & Service | + 13' 23" |