Soudal Quick-Step to Volta a Catalunya

Mikel Landa will be in action for the Wolfpack next week at the seven-day race.

Maybe more than ever in recent memory, the Volta a Catalunya will be a mountainous affair, and that’s because the organisers have decided to include three tough summit finishes: Vallter 2000, Port Ainé – the mammoth 18.5km climb averaging 6.8% – and Santuari de Queralt. In addition to these, several other special and first-category ascents promise to spice up the race, which will once again conclude in Barcelona, after going six times over the Montjuic hill.

Fifth overall last year, Mikel Landa returns to competition for the first time since late February, when he helped Remco Evenepoel win the Volta ao Algarve, and the 34-year-old looks forward to next week’s race: “Catalunya signals the start of a big and important block of racing. I am happy to go there. There are a lot of hard climbs and I look forward to seeing where my shape is. The plan is to take it day by day, try to fight for a stage win and help the team get some good results.”

The Basque climber will be joined for the 103rd edition of the race created back in 1911 by Tour of Oman runner-up Jan Hirt, neo-pro Antoine Huby, James Knox, AlUla Tour runner-up William Junior Lecerf – back after a successful outing in Rwanda together with the devo team – Ilan Van Wilder and Mauri Vansevenant.

“Catalunya is a beautiful race, with a parcours which gives an opportunity to a lot of riders. Of course, the climbers are favoured, but we should also see some days for the sprinters and the puncheurs. Our team is a strong one, with Mikel back in action after a strong Algarve. Him and Ilan, who had a solid UAE Tour, can fight for a good general classification. Our squad comprises guys who can be in the mix for a stage victory but also riders who can go in the breakaway, so the confidence and motivation for next week are quite high”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Geert Van Bondt ahead of the race where our team has won a total of ten stages.

Photo credit: ©Wout Beel