Marianne Vos (Visma Ries-a-Bike) took the overall lead in the first half of La Vuelta Femenina with a stage win and three podium finishes.

Vos said that while overall victory was not her goal for the eight-day race, wearing the Maillot Rojo was a pleasant surprise.

"It wasn't my main goal today, but of course it's always nice to wear the leader's jersey," Vos said at the finish of stage 4 in Zaragoza on Wednesday.

Vos is a member of the Visma Lease-a-Bike team and finished second in the team time trial in the season opener. He won stage 3 in Teruel and finished third in stage 4, five seconds ahead of Blanca Vas (SD Works-Protime) and nine seconds ahead of stage winner Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Cannondale).

The 142-km stage from Molina de Aragón to Zaragoza was hit by strong winds that caused echelon throughout the peloton.

Her third place on the day meant that she gained enough time bonus seconds to move ahead of overnight leader Vas.

"Faulkner's attack was very strong. It was a tough race from the start. I was a little bit at the back in the beginning, but fortunately I was able to get to the front quickly," Vos said.

"It was good that Lienne (Marx) and Sophie (von Berswald) were also in the lead group when the decisive breakaway happened. The three of us rode well, but unfortunately one of us was too strong. Faulkner deserved to be the winner."

La Vuelta Femenina heads into the mountains on the finishing climb: Fuerte Lapitan on stage 5, Laguna Negra de Vinuesa on stage 6, and Valdeschi. Comunidad de Madrid on stage 8.

Vos will undoubtedly try to hold the overall lead for as long as possible. However, GC, such as Demi Vollering (SD Works-Protime), Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM), Elisa Longo Borghini and Gaia Lealini (Lidl-Trek), or Spanish champion Mavi Garcia (Ribe-Alura-Jayco) The Mayo Rojo may have to be handed over to the leading players.

La Vuelta Femenina has several contenders for this year's overall title, and Cycling News has a list of riders to watch.