{"id":242471,"date":"2026-05-09T03:30:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T03:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/09\/sometimes-you-just-mentally-crack-kasia-niewiadoma-phinney-falls-short-of-own-expectations-on-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-6-climbing-test\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T03:30:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T03:30:40","slug":"sometimes-you-just-mentally-crack-kasia-niewiadoma-phinney-falls-short-of-own-expectations-on-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-6-climbing-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/09\/sometimes-you-just-mentally-crack-kasia-niewiadoma-phinney-falls-short-of-own-expectations-on-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-6-climbing-test\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Sometimes you just mentally crack&#8217; \u2013 Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney falls short of own expectations on La Vuelta Femenina stage 6 climbing test"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-c13b3fd2-2633-4dbe-9b15-9bb60510fb30\"><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/katarzyna-niewiadoma-phinney\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/katarzyna-niewiadoma-phinney\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/riders\/katarzyna-niewiadoma-phinney\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney<\/a> may have entered into <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/la-vuelta-femenina\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/la-vuelta-femenina\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/la-vuelta-femenina\/\" rel=\"noopener\">La Vuelta Femenina<\/a> with an eye to the podium and then set out to deliver a solid <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tag\/performance\/\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tag\/performance\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/tag\/performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">performance<\/a> through the opening stages but it was always the final two days of climbing that were going to deliver the ultimate test. The first certainly didn&#8217;t go to plan.<\/p>\n<p>After a tricky run in the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2026\/canyon-sram-zondacrypto\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2026\/canyon-sram-zondacrypto\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/road\/teams\/uci-womens-worldtour\/2026\/canyon-sram-zondacrypto\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto<\/a> rider entered the final category 1 climb to Les Praeres \u2013 nearly four kilometres at an average gradient of 13.5% \u2013 well positioned in the dramatically reduced peloton. The 2024 Tour de France Femmes winner also kept up with the vicious pace of Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) early but then, with just under 3km to go, stage 6 took a turn for Niewiadoma-Phinney.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-c13b3fd2-2633-4dbe-9b15-9bb60510fb30-2\">\u201cThe climb was just super steep. I mean, it\u2019s hard to get any sort of cadence on that steep, steep climb,&#8221; said Niewiadoma-Phinney of the ascent which included sections with gradients rising to 20%.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-6 w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[10px] lg:my-8\" data-component-name=\"JwPlayer:Carousel\" data-jwp-carousel=\"\" data-jwp-carousel-payload=\"{&quot;ids&quot;:{&quot;playerID&quot;:&quot;jYDCcabO&quot;,&quot;searchPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;divID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;fallbackPlaylistID&quot;:&quot;gwjdoYHD&quot;,&quot;fallbackDivID&quot;:&quot;botr_gwjdoYHD_jYDCcabO_div&quot;,&quot;key&quot;:&quot;X9\\\/mXVGac0NphghLH9hZaqWA5d3dhAM\\\/Ih07grnEyMLjuO2E&quot;,&quot;tintLogo&quot;:true,&quot;useSearchPlaylist&quot;:false,&quot;enabled&quot;:true},&quot;signPostingEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;signPostingLinkEnabled&quot;:true,&quot;waitForAdLoad&quot;:false}\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-nowrap items-center justify-between gap-3 bg-zinc-900 px-[14px] py-3\" data-jwp-carousel-header=\"\">\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 shrink items-center\"><span class=\"inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm font-article-heading capitalize leading-5 text-white whitespace-nowrap\"><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-mobile\"\/><span class=\"jwp-carousel-title-desktop\">Latest Videos From<\/span><span class=\"jwp-carousel-brand inline-flex items-center\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"aspect-video w-full min-h-[200px] lg:min-h-[330px] relative overflow-hidden bg-black\" data-jwp-carousel-container=\"\">\n<div class=\"absolute inset-0 size-full items-center justify-center bg-white\" data-jwp-carousel-fallback=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/gmvwmhupgi1715762145.svg\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)] max-h-12 w-auto\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pt-2 pb-0 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,1em)] uppercase sm:text-[length:var(--article-river-title--font-size,0.875em)] font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;I exploded early, and then it was just suffering to the finish,&#8221; the Polish champion said in a team statement, which added that it was a result that fell short of the rider&#8217;s own expectations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">As Van der Breggen dropped all her rivals and went on to take the stage win, with Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) managing to stay relatively close for second, Niewiadoma continued to drop time through the closing kilometres. She finished in tenth on the stage at 1:09 back.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;Unfortunately sometimes you just mentally crack.&#8221; added Niewiadoma-Phinney in an instagram post.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">The Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto rider, who entered the race as one of the favourites, ended up in sixth place on the overall after Friday&#8217;s stage, with a 1:25 gap to race leader Van der Breggen and a 44 second gap to the last place on the podium, held by Marion Bunel (Visma-Lease a Bike).<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-hYQLuj4Rvu6L2k8xyoJGn\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-hYQLuj4Rvu6L2k8xyoJGn slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">However, the stage 7 finishing climb dwarfs that of stage 6, delivering a spectacular but brutal finale on L&#8217;Angliru. The 132.9km day of racing tackles two category 3 ascents, a category 2 climb and then finishes on the Asturian monster, with the HC rated L&#8217;Angliru delivering 12.4km at an average gradient of 9.7%. On top of that the final 6km averages 13% and has sections peaking at 24%.<\/p>\n<p>So even though gaps that emerged on stage 6 put some in the box seat and others on the back foot, more than ever at this year&#8217;s La Vuelta Femenina, the race for the podium can&#8217;t be considered settled until the very final stretch.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I need some time to digest today, and to realise it was just a warm-up for what we have to race up tomorrow,\u201d concluded Niewiadoma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><strong>Subscribe to <\/strong><em><strong>Cyclingnews<\/strong><\/em><strong> for unlimited access to our La Vuelta Femenina coverage as the likes of Anna van der Breggen, Paula Blasi, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney and others battle it out. Don&#8217;t miss any of the breaking news, reports, and analysis from one of the biggest women&#8217;s stage races of the season. <\/strong><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=VF26\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=VF26\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/subscription-paid\/?utm_source=Referral+link&amp;utm_medium=Website&amp;utm_campaign=VF26\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><strong>Find out more.<\/strong><\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/teams-riders\/sometimes-you-just-mentally-crack-kasia-niewiadoma-phinney-falls-short-of-own-expectations-on-la-vuelta-femenina-stage-6-climbing-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney may have entered into La Vuelta Femenina with an eye to the podium and then set out to deliver a solid performance through the opening stages but it was always the final two days of climbing that were going to deliver the ultimate test. The first certainly didn&#8217;t go to plan. After a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":242472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6804],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-242471","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}