A balanced seven-man team will line out at the start of the prestigious event.
First held in 1911 and boasting a rich and beautiful history as well as an impressive list of winners, the Volta a Catalunya is one of the oldest stage races on the calendar, part of the World Tour since 2005 and a real climbers’ delight. For the 99th edition, the race will once again take on a well-known path, meaning there will be no opportunities for time trialists and limited chances for sprinters, even on the so-called flat stages.
Two consecutive mountain top finishes – Vallter 2000 (12.7km, 7.4%) and La Molina (12.2km, 4.5%) – the traditional Montjuic circuit in Barcelona and a total of 29 classified climbs, these will be just some of the highlights of the race that will take place between 25-31 March.
World Team Ranking leader Deceuninck – Quick-Step – winner of two stages at last year’s edition – will go at the start of the season’s ninth World Tour stop with a squad comprising Eros Capecchi, Dries Devenyns, Alvaro Hodeg – who in 2018 wore the leader’s jersey after surging to victory on the opening day, in Calella – James Knox, Vuelta a España stage winner and runner-up Enric Mas, Fabio Sabatini and Petr Vakoč.
“Our squad is a balanced one, giving us a shot at both a stage win in the sprints and a good result in the general classification. Hodeg will have Saba to look after him, Petr is getting better and stronger with each race, while Enric – who makes his first outing since putting in a strong showing at last month’s Volta ao Algarve – and James, who’s had a fine start to the season, can rely on the likes of Dries or Eros, both strong and experienced riders who can handle any kind of situation. We expect some unpredictable stages, it’s always the case in Catalunya, and a very hard day on the roads to La Molina, where the GC should be set in stone, but we go there confident and motivated”, said sports director Brian Holm.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele/ Getty Images
James Knox