The 2015 Volta a Catalunya opened with quite a surprising first stage. Maciej Paterski, Pierre Rolland, and Bart De Clercq broke away from the peloton early in the day and never looked back, holding the advantage all the way to the line. Paterski won the stage. The peloton crossed the line 2:40 behind. Pre-race outsider Pierre Rolland now has the inside track to overall victory; nearly three minutes of an advantage will be hard for the other riders to overcome on this parcours.
Still, a bad day in the mountains can ruin even the strongest of GC positions, and there is plenty of racing to be done yet. Stage 2 is a 191.8-kilometer journey from Mataró to Olot. After a small early climb, there aren’t many topographic challenges, other than a pair of low-gradient rollers in the middle of the day, until near the finish line. The Alt de Montagut (2.1 kilometers, 4.5% average gradient) will be topped with less than 15 km to go, and it’s followed by an uncategorized uphill stretch that only flattens out inside the final 10 km.
The stage is not particularly difficult, but the last few climbs could complicate things for the heavier sprinters. The most likely scenario would seem to be a reduced sprint among the more versatile riders in the peloton, but there is always the possibility of a successful attack on one of the late steep sections.
As a rider who also sports a very fast finish, Julian Alaphilippe can climb quite well. He has had success in some very hilly races in the past, even occasionally get involved in late moves from time to time (he was 5th in the GP Ouest-France last year). That versatility makes him a prime pick here.
Bryan Coquard could improve as a strategist in the sprints, but there is no denying his blazing top speed, and he also has decent climbing legs. There’s not guarantee he’ll make it to the finish, but if he can, he’ll be difficult to beat.
JJ Rojas may not have the same top speed of the purer sprinters but he can handle difficult climbs. He’s a strong candidate for a good result, though victories are always hard to come by for Rojas.
Luka Mezgec isn’t quite as versatile but he’s a very capable sprinter, and if he doesn’t lose ground on the climb, he’ll have a great chance.
It’s possible that the GC riders try to mix it up at the end of this stage to claw back time from Rolland. Look for Dan Martin, Alejandro Valverde, and Rigoberto Urán if the overall race contenders manage to shed the sprinters.
If they don’t, the list of other quick men who make for decent contenders here includes: Matteo Pelucchi, Caleb Ewan, Julien Simon, Roberto Ferrari, Jasper Stuyven, and Greg Henderson. Punchy types like Enrico Gasparatto could also be in the mix.
With a roadside presence at the race, VeloHuman will be previewing individual stages of the 2015 Volta a Catalunya in addition to the overall race preview published earlier. Calella again hosts the opening stage of the race this year. The parcours resembles that of last year’s edition in many ways.
The stage opens with mostly flat roads for the first 80 kilometers, but the road turns upward near the midpoint of the day’s racing. The peloton will first take on the long Category 2 Alt de Viladrau (11.3 km, 3.3% average gradient) and then the Cat. 1 Alt del Coll Formic (7.8 km, 5.2% average gradient), before a long descent back towards the coast. The Cat. 3 Alt de Collsacreu (7.4 km, 3% average gradient) is the final climbing challenge of the stage, crested 18 kilometers before the line. The final few kilometers are mostly flat and not particularly technical.
Last year’s opening stage involved many of the same roads and similar climbs, and included the same ascent of the Collsacreu followed by a descent into Calella. That stage ended with a sprint finish. A repeat seems likely in 2015, though a reduction in the cast of characters likely to play a role in a bunch kick would also fall within the realm of expectation. These climbs probably won’t spring successful attackers, especially not on the first day of the Volta; though the Col Formic is a Cat. 1 challenge, categorizations are a bit deceiving in this race. Still, some of the heavier sprinters could fall out of contention on the slopes.
The diminutive Bryan Coquard has shown an ability to handle some climbing in the past, and he’s come close to a few wins already this year. Coming close to victory when racing at the WorldTour level is a common theme for Coquard, but with this startlist, he has a great chance of finally picking up a WorldTour win.
Caleb Ewan can handle some climbing and he looks to be on fine form after picking up two wins in the Tour de Langkawi. He’ll also have a good chance of picking up his first WorldTour win here.
Luka Mezgec won three stages last year (including the Calella opener of that edition) and seems like a good bet for more success in 2015 after already picking up a victory in the Tour du Haut Var-matin. The climbs will challenge him but if he can make it to the finish, he’ll be well-positioned to win. Matteo Pelucchi is in a similar boat: he’s had a lot of success so far this season and has a powerful finishing kick. If the climbs don’t take too much out of him he’s likely to contend for the win.
JJ Rojas is quite versatile for a fast finisher, and he has already taken a (rare) win this year. If some of the stronger sprinters are shed on the climbs, he’ll be one to watch. Julian Alaphilippe, Jasper Stuyven, Roberto Ferrari, Kévin Reza, and Julien Simon are other outside contenders with a chance. If a few of the GC names get aggressive on the climbs and manage to break up the race, look to Alejandro Valverde and Rigoberto Urán in a reduced sprint.
VeloHuman Stage Favorites
1. Bryan Coquard | 2. Luka Mezgec | 3. Caleb Ewan
Be sure to follow @VeloHuman on Twitter, and check back after the conclusion of Stage 1 for the preview of Stage 2.
While the Classics specialists are recovering from Milano-Sanremo and then heading to Belgium for E3 and Gent-Wevelgem, plenty of other big names, including several of the top stage racers in the sport, will make the journey to Spain to take on the Volta a Catalunya. With no time trials and tough climbs throughout the race, it’s a great event for those who enjoy riding uphill. This year’s edition boasts a startlist filled with stars certain to make things interesting. VH is on-site and will provide plenty of race coverage, including individual stage previews.
The Route
The Volta a Catalunya is a seven-day race that travels through Spain’s Catalonia region, starting in the beach town of Calella and then traveling along the coast and through the Pyrenees before finally coming to a conclusion in Barcelona, the capital of the autonomous community. There are climbs on every stage of the race, and they are categorized 3-2-1-Esp., though the climbs classified as “Cat. 1” here might be classified differently in other stage races. For example, the first Cat. 1 of the race is the Alt del Coll Formic, 7.8 kilometers at a 5.2% average gradient, which is probably not difficult enough for it to be classified as a Category 1 climb in, for instance, the Tour de France.
The first stage does have some tough climbs in the middle of the day and a small bump near the finish, but last year’s Calella stage ended in a bunch sprint and it seems likely that that scenario will repeat itself this year. Stage 2 is one that could go to the more versatile quick men who can stay at the head of the race on a late Cat. 3 climb.
The GC battle will heat up on Stage 3, which starts and finishes in Girona, with two Cat. 3s, a Cat. 2, and two visits to the same Cat. 1 climb along the way. After the peloton makes its second visit to said climb, the Alt dels Ángels (6 km at a 5.5% average grade), there will only be 13 kilometers remaining in the stage; in other words, attacks made on the climb may survive to the line.
Stage 4: Tona › La Molina (188 km) – There won’t be many opportunities for tired legs to rest on the climb-filled fourth stage of the Volta a Catalunya.
Stage 4 will certainly see GC action. The riders will take on a series of climbs on the way to a summit finish at La Molina ski resort, with the seemingly interminable special-category Alt de Creueta (21 km at 4.5%) along the way.
None of the climbs on the stage are individually all that imposing compared to some of the mountains these riders will face in the Giro or the Tour, but taking on so many uphill challenges in rapid succession will certainly wear on the peloton.
Stage 5 will throw a late climb at the riders but the 2014 edition saw a sprit in the same location. Stage 6 is almost certainly for the sprinters. Stage 7, with its eight climbs of Barcelona’s Montjuïc, will almost inevitably see attacks, but whether they will have a GC impact is not so certain.
Several of these stages could end in bunch sprints, despite the climbs and their categorizations in the roadbook. Still, the multitude of vertical challenges guarantees plenty of attacks by the climbers, and the opportunity to put in those uphill digs has drawn a terrific startlist to this year’s race.
The General Classification Contenders
Last year’s winner Joaquim Rodríguez was a late scratch after coming down with an illness, but Tour de France winners Chris Froome and Alberto Contador are among the many elite GC names who will set out from Calella. Froome missed Tirreno-Adriatico with a chest infection, but he was not off the bike for long. Assuming he has maintained the strong form he showed in the Ruta del Sol, Froome will be hard to beat in this race, especially given the incredible team support Sky is bringing. Richie Porte will be another of the top favorites, with Leopold König, Nicolas Roche, and Wout Poels all enjoying contender status as well. Some may point to the lack of time trials in this race as a reason to doubt the chances of Froome (and Sky alternative Porte, for that matter), but at his best, Froome can match the world’s top climbers on the slopes. The overlong climbs on Stage 4 suit Froome and his team perfectly.
Alberto Contador is certainly among those top climbers. His 5th in Tirreno was a bit underwhelming given his status entering the race as the top favorite, but he has another opportunity here in a race in which he has shined in the past. He was 2nd last year behind Purito. Contador is a fiery competitor and he won’t back down from this chance to take on Froome. It won’t be easy against such opposition, but expect a powerful counterpunch from a rider who knows how to race here after Froome defeated him in their first meeting of the year at the Ruta del Sol. Though Contador’s team doesn’t have quite the firepower of Sky, Rafal Majka, Michael Rogers, and Robert Kiserlovksi should be a strong supporting cast as well, especially if Majka can get back to the Top 5-level form he showed in the Tour of Oman after a lackluster Tirreno.
2013 winner Daniel Martin typically performs very well in this race; in addition to his one victory he has also been runner-up twice. For the most part, these climbs suit him very well, and the Irish uphill specialist now lives in the area, meaning that he’ll get a chance to ride on home roads this week. Though he did not have a great Tirreno-Adriatico, Martin has tended to develop his form gradually at the start of the season. He should be among the top contenders here, with a nice finishing kick to help him nab bonus seconds. Andrew Talansky and Ryder Hesjedal make for excellent support riders or potential alternatives for Cannondale-Garmin.
Alejandro Valverde won the Volta back in 2009. He has looked good in almost every race he’s taken on so far this year, and just as it suits fellow hilly classics star Dan Martin, the parcours in this race suits Valverde too. His Spanish squad will look for a top result here, and with the Ardennes rapidly approaching, Valverde will probably be in top shape. His sprinting ability makes him a strong player in the bonus seconds game. He should contend for the podium, though he’ll need to be more aggressive than has been his style lately if he wants to fight for the win. Rubén Fernández is a strong ally.
Rigoberto Urán is in great shape right now and should be capable of fighting for the win. BMC’s Tejay van Garderen took his first WorldTour victory here in a mountaintop stage last year and finished 3rd overall. If he can bounce back from a less-than-successful Paris-Nice, he could notch more success this year. Spain’s Samu Sánchez makes for a nice alternative for BMC. Romain Bardet was just behind van Garderen in the aforementioned mountain stage in last year’s edition. He too struggled in Paris-Nice, but this ITT-less race suits his pure climber’s skillset. Domenico Pozzovivo and Carlos Betancur are other options for AG2R. Belkin’s Wilco Kelderman was another who underwhelmed in Paris-Nice, but he can find his form he should do well here. With practically every team in the race bringing a GC name to Catalonia, the list of outside contenders beyond the many GC riders already mentioned is very long. Some of those that have to be in the conversation are: Astana’s Fabio Aru (whose climbing legs were decent in Paris-Nice despite his poor overall result), Katusha’s Giampaolo Caruso, Lampre-Merida’s Rafal Valls, Giant-Alpecin’s Warren Barguil, Colombia’s Rodolfo Torres, IAM Cycling’s Jarlinson Pantano, Lotto Soudal’s Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Europcar’s Pierre Rolland, Cofidis’s Daniel Navarro, and OGE’s Esteban Chaves.
The Stagehunters
Despite the many hills along the road to Barcelona, the Volta does often involve several sprint stages. This year’s route should see a few. Giant-Alpecin’s Luka Mezgec won thrice here in 2014 and is again among the fastest names on the startlist. Bryan Coquard has had trouble turning Top 10s into results at the WorldTour level but he’ll have opportunities here. IAM Cycling’s Matteo Pelucchi started the year in fine form and should be able to contend for more results in this race. OGE’s Caleb Ewan, EQS’s Julian Alaphilippe, Trek’s Jasper Stuyven, Lampre’s Roberto Ferrari, and Movistar’s JJ Rojas are on the list of other quick men in Catalunya.
Meanwhile watch out for the likes of Amets Txurruka (Caja Rural), Cyril Gautier (Europcar), and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) to try to find breakaway success among the many rollings hills in the race.
VeloHuman Top 10 GC Favorites
Winner: Chris Froome Podium: Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde Other Top Contenders: Dan Martin, Romain Bardet, Rigoberto Urán, Richie Porte, Tejay van Garderen, Samuel Sánchez, Fabio Aru
VeloHuman is on-site at the race and will have plenty more insight from Catalunya (keep an eye out for daily stage previews), so stay tuned here and on Twitter @VeloHuman! Also be sure to check out the Recon Ride for more pre-race commentary.
The Scenario: A Climber’s Dream Course in Catalunya
Just one day after the first sprinter-friendly Milano-Sanremo in years, the Volta a Catalunya, a climber’s dream course, begins about an hour north of Barcelona in Calella, Spain. 2014’s Volta a Catalunya, like past editions of the race, offers a parcours rife with uphill action, including a third stage dominated by Alt de la Creueta, a climb that caps a larger section of over 30 kilometers at an over 3% on average grade. That brutal stage finishes atop the Category 1 summit of La Molina, but the riders will have little time to rest before embarking on the fourth stage, where they will be welcomed by three Category 1 climbs and a summit finish at the Vallter 2000 ski resort. Stage 6 looks like the only day that the GC contenders will try to take comfortably, with almost 60 downhill or flat kilometers into the finish. While not as demanding as the two aforementioned high mountain days, stages 1, 2, 5, and 7 will require the overall contenders to be on their toes, with late climbs likely to inspire attacks. In short, this is not a race for the faint of heart, or the heavy of frame. The parcours has drawn quite a startlist, one that will pit some of the top GC climbers against one another in a contest of early season form.
Before I dive in, the important notes: follow the still-practically-brand-new Twitter account @VeloHuman for plenty of live analysis during the race (and check it out soon for live Milano-Sanremo updates and analysis)! MSR post-race thoughts will be up not long after today’s contest, and the next preview on the docket is the 28th’s E3 Harelbeke, so you might as well just keep this window open for a few days to come!
All-rounder Roundup
Chris Froome dropped out of Tirreno-Adriatico with back pain, but he’ll be lining up for the Volta a Catalunya at the head of Sky’s finest to make a bid for victory. He reminded the peloton of his supremacy atop Green Mountain in the Tour of Oman in late February, but he hasn’t raced since, making the form, and the general health, something of an unknown. He’ll need all his ability against the field. Fortunately, trusted lieutenant Richie Porte will be there to play second. Porte was forced to abandon Tirreno-Adriatico for health reasons himself, but he looked sharp there before he left. Together with climbing talents Mikel Nieve and David Lopez, Sky’s top GC riders will look to pick up results at the WorldTour level. It is hard to predict how they will do, given health concerns, but if nagging issues are resolved by the time the race begins, obviously they’re quite the one-two punch, even without a time trial in the race.
A revitalized Alberto Contador (who “won” this race in 2011, but was stripped of the title as part of his doping penlaties) took Tirreno-Adriatico by storm, and he’ll attend Catalunya looking to further prove his improved form against those riders who were not in attendance during his spectacular Stage 5 performance in Italy, ie. Froome, Porte, and Joaquim Rodriguez. Contador’s team will not include his chief lieutenant Roman Kreuziger or Nicolas Roche, and Rafal Majka was a late scratch, leaving him a bit understaffed with lieutenants. The big question for Contador is whether he can maintain the otherworldly level he was on last week into this week’s contest.
Joaquim Rodriguez leads Katusha’s charge alongside Daniel Moreno. Purito was 2nd here last year and won in 2010, and he looked on fine form in Oman. Moreno was very strong last week in Tirreno-Adriatico, among the best climbers in the race. With no troublesome time trials to put them behind the likes of Froome and Porte, Catalunya will likely see the usual uphill fireworks from these two, with plenty of potential stage wins in play. Moreno and Rodriguez are both known for explosiveness and fast finishes, but they’ve also gotten better and better on the long haul climbs, and they’ll need to be at their best with a few ascents that seem to go on forever in this race.
4th in last year’s edition was Movistar’s Nairo Quintana, who is coming off a sharp 2nd place in Tirreno-Adriatico. He was not able to match Alberto Contador’s uphill ability there, but he also had not taken part in a stage race in almost two months. I think he will be a bit more acclimated to the grind now. The unrelenting climbing will suit his skillset perfectly. Update: there are reports that Quintana is taking antibiotics to get over a cold, which will obviously make things harder for him here.
Last year’s winner (and prior to that, two time runner-up) Daniel Martin, was made for this race and its parcours. The pure climber sealed his victory in 2013 with a fearless uphill attack on the 4th stage that left Purito and Quintana in its wake. His past results here might make him a bigger favorite in this race if his form weren’t such a question mark. With his eyes on a defense of Monument classic Liege-Bastogne-Liege and then a Giro starting in his home country of Ireland, Martin’s goals may have shifted somehwat this year. He’s still a strong contender, but Ryder Hesjedal (form also a question mark), late addition Andrew Talansky, and Tom Danielson are other cards for Garmin to play should Martin not be at peak form just yet.
AG2R sends a fearsome trio to Catalunya, led by Paris-Nice winner Carlos Betancur. Questions about his shape and form were more than answered by his dominance in P-N, and Catalunya is another opportunity for him to make a statement, this time against better GC-style competition. Domenico Pozzovivo had a fine Tirreno-Adriatico, notching a 6th place. Romain Bardet‘s chances at Paris-Nice were derailed by an early crash, but he’ll be yet another uphill option for AG2R in Spain this week.
Omega Pharma’s Rigoberto Uran seemed 100% committed to the cause of teammate Michal Kwiatkowski last week in Tirreno-Adriatico, and did not challenge for GC himself. Still, I believe he is in good form, and probably looking for a chance to prove it; against many the top climbers in the sport, he’ll have a good chance this week. New teammate Thomas de Gendt took his last pro victory in the final stage of this race in 2013. Perhaps he’ll look to 2014 as an opportunity to get back on track. BMC’s Tejay van Garderen looked very strong in Oman, second on the decisive climb to Chris Froome, but had to abandon Paris-Nice early due to illness. If he still has the kind of form that he showed in Oman, he has a fine opportunity here, with a chance to put his uphill diesel engine to work on these long climbs. Teammate Samuel Sanchez has had a great deal of success in this race over the years, winning stages and landing several strong GC showings, though it’s hard to guess his form right now.
Chris Horner abandoned Tirreno-Adriatico with tendinitis, but he looked sharp before then; teammate Przemyslaw Niemiec made last year’s top 10. Wilco Kelderman leads a strong Belkin team, and he’ll hope Cataluyna will provide the chance for glory than an untimely mechanical stole from him in Paris-Nice; he looked strong in that race. Laurens Ten Dam and Steven Kruisjwijk are good support options. Ivan Basso struggled in Tirreno-Adriatico, but he’ll look to rebound for Cannondale here. Warren Barguil leads Giant-Shimano up the Spanish climbs. Various ailments have kept Thibaut Pinot out of races early this year, but he took 8th place here last year and obviously the profile suits him if he’s healthy; Alexandre Geniez, Arnold Jeanneason and Kenny Elissonde are all strong support riders or backup options if need be for FDJ. Europcar’s Pierre Rolland and Thomas Voeckler will try to bring that team some success on up-down terrain that seems to suit them. Julian Arredondo made one of the biggest impressions of last week’s Tirreno-Adriatico, and the Colombian climbing talent will love this time trial-less, route; meanwhile, teammate Robert Kiserlovski made it two in the top 10 for Trek at T-A, giving a team in sore need of GC contenders a surprising pair of them here. Lotto’s Jurgen van den Broeck will look to get on track after a series of disappointments this year. Astana sends Janez Brajkovic, Mikel Landa, and young Fabio Aru. Cofidis sends 2013 Tour top 10 finisher Daniel Navarro, who looked good in Andalucia. Caja Rural sends David Arroyo and Luis Leon Sanchez, who also looked good in Andalucia. The Pro Continental squads will have their work cut out for them against so many top climbers leading top climbing squads here. Update: Top-notch climber Jakob Fuglsang is a late addition to the Astana squad and therefore joins the realm of outside contenders.
Stagehunters
With so many stages for the GC style climbers, staggeringly few sprinters are even bothering to make the trip (no time trials means there aren’t any chrono men seeking ITT wins either). Stage 6 is likely to be contested by a pretty select list of riders in a mass gallop. AG2R’s Sam Dumoulin (who has excelled in this race, taking three stages in the past) Giant-Shimano’s Luka Mezgec, Trek’s Giacomo Nizzolo (coming off a broken collarbone), Lampre’s Roberto Ferrari, Lotto’s Gregory Henderson, and OGE’s Leigh Howard look to be the most capable fast men on the start list. The first three also happen to be fairly versatile riders, for whom some of the hillier stages are not out of the realm of possibility. Anthony Roux is the sort of rider who might take advantage of some of the lumpier days. It seems inevitable that Caja Rural’s Amets Txurruka and Trek’s Jens Voigt will spend some time up the road looking for long-range victories. At least with so few riders making the start who aren’t focused on their own or their teammates’ GC aspirations, the stagehunters will have less competition for their one-day goals!
VeloHuman GC Top 10 Favorites
Winner: Chris Froome Podium: Alberto Contador, Nairo Quintana Challengers: Carlos Betancur, Rigoberto Uran, Domenico Pozzovivo, Tejay van Garderen, Joaquim Rodriguez, Daniel Moreno, Daniel Martin
Don’t forget to follow @VeloHuman on Twitter, and check back soon for the E3 Harelbeke preview!
