Barbara Malcotti climbed in elite company as she placed 9th on the queen stage of Vuelta a Burgos.
The 25-year-old’s strong climbing legs and position at the end of the 95 km stage from Soncillo to Picón Blanco means she now places seventh on the GC ahead of Sunday’s TT finale.
“I wanted to get a good result to show my form once again,” Malcotti said afterwards. “I started this morning, aiming for a top ten. When I found myself with Elisa [Longo Borghini] on the climb, I also believed in a top five, but that’s okay, I’m satisfied with today’s result.”
The race broke up quickly at the base of the steep final climb. 8.2 km at 9.1%, the mountain was for pure climbers, and Malcotti found herself in an elite group that was slowly whittled down following the race-winning move from Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team).
“I tried to manage the climb as best as possible so as not to arrive without energy in the last kilometers,” she explained. “I followed Giorgia’s advice. When Reusser attacked, I tried to follow a wheel that didn’t make me lose too much time, but that didn’t make me go all out. Then Elisa increased her pace, and I took my pace. When there was a kilometre left, I tried to come back and keep the wheel, but when she opened the gas, I had no more strength to respond.”
Malcotti has gone from strength to strength in 2025. This is the climber’s second notable WorldTour result of the year. She also placed 5th on the mountain stage of the UAE Tour Women, on her way to sixth overall.
The Vuelta a Burgos concludes tomorrow with a crucial 9.41 km time-trial from Villasana de Mena to Lezana de Mena. Malcotti sits 11 seconds behind the rider ahead of her, and 90 seconds ahead of the positions outside the top ten.
“TT is not my forte, to be honest, that’s no secret,” she says. “I’ll have to do the TT of my life to save the excellent top ten. I’ve trained better this year, but I’m still a little nervous, but I will do my best to defend what I did today.”
Silvia Zanardi was also active throughout the stage, joining the day’s breakaway on the light rolling roads toward the final climb.
Malcotti’s high position on GC is thanks in part to a brilliant display of teamwork on the previous stage. With a crash splitting the peloton, Malcotti and Lily Williams navigated the hilly finale, with Malcotti not losing time and Williams sprinting to sixth place.
Vuelta a Burgos General Classification after stage three
1 REUSSER Marlen – Movistar Team 9:12:49
2 KASTELIJN Yara – Fenix-Deceuninck 1:10
3 LONGO BORGHINI Elisa – UAE Team ADQ 1:43
4 SPRATT Amanda – Lidl – Trek 1:58
5 CHABBEY Elise – FDJ – SUEZ 2:01
6 CAVALLAR Valentina – Arkéa – B&B Hotels Women 2:22
7 MALCOTTI Barbara – Human Powered Health 2:33
8 LABOUS Juliette – FDJ – SUEZ 2:41
9 OTTESTAD Mie Bjørndal – Uno-X Mobility 3:04
10 BENITO Mireia – AG Insurance – Soudal Team 3:21
Photos: GettySport
