Volta Ciclista a Cataluyna

[tiermat]

All the big teams are going for this, with their "A" teams.  Sky especially are rolling out Wiggins and co for this.  I did wonder why he hadn't defended his Paris-Nice crown, but thinking about it maybe he is going for a win in the other big tours (this, Giro and Vuelta).

Starts next Monday, I shall be glued to it as it passes through some bit me and Ham are visiting in a few weeks (snow permitting)

Route details here:

http://www.voltacatalunya.cat/ca/etapes/

Click on the individual stages to get details, you might want to put it through Google translate though

ETA: If you click on the Etapa Detallada at the bottom of each stage you get a route sheet, along with approx times (last three columns) for when they will get there at different averages

[Nuncio]

If it's half as good as Tirreno-Adriatica* then it will be worth watching, though there's the not so little matter of Milan San Remo first.

* A lot of riders have apparently accused the organizers of making yeterday's stage too hard. One 27% section had some riders resorting to walking.  Over 50 riders abandoned.  Spare a thought for Taylor Phinney.  The rest of his grupetto abandoned en bloc, leaving him to solo for 130km before finishing out of time.

[mrcharly-YHT]

If it's half as good as Tirreno-Adriatica* then it will be worth watching, though there's the not so little matter of Milan San Remo first.

* A lot of riders have apparently accused the organizers of making yeterday's stage too hard. One 27% section had some riders resorting to walking.  Over 50 riders abandoned.  Spare a thought for Taylor Phinney.  The rest of his grupetto abandoned en bloc, leaving him to solo for 130km before finishing out of time.

Seriously? They couldn't look at a map, see the gradients and get the mechanics to fit some lower gears? 

[Nuncio]

Yes to the first question. http://inrng.com/2013/03/sant-elpidio-al-mare-climb/#more-13672

From what I saw, most of the walking occurred as riders turned off from a flat road straight on to a steep hill, so possible bad gear selection by the rider rather than the mechanic. (Going even further from the Volta Ciclista a Cataluyna, if you stand by the turn-off to King's Youth Hostel near Dolgellau, from the afternoon of May 18th through to the early hours of the 19th, you may witness something simlar.  And some of those riders will have triples.)

[Karla]

Talking of Tirreno, it's good to see Alex Dowsett finish in the top ten for the TT.

[andrew_s]

27% on a wet narrow road is more or less guaranteed to see a substantial percentage of riders walking. It only takes 1 rider to spin a wheel and everyone behind him gets baulked. If you ever rode the Cotswold Corker you would have seen the problem on Bushcombe Lane, also 27% max, and less than a mile after the start before the 200+ entry had had a chance to spread out. The only way to be sure of being able to ride it was to set off at the front of the first group, or stand around chatting to Sean at the start for 10 or 15 minutes after the off.

[De Sisti]

The only way to be sure of being able to ride it was to set off at the front of the first group, or stand around chatting to Sean at the start for 10 or 15 minutes after the off.

As Sean sets the riders off in groups of 20-30, I would start with the first group and let them go
off down the road. By the time I had turned left to Bushcombe Lane the riders were more or less
spread out. It was then possible to slowly inch oneself to the summit without dismounting.

In all of my attempts this only failed twice. Once when my chain snapped on the lower slopes and another occasion when there was lots of mud on the steep left bend (about half way up).

[Ham]

Where will it be shown?

[tiermat]

It will deffo be on Eurosport, I will have a hunt around to see if it is on elsewhere.

[citoyen]

For those not watching it live, I suggest you make an effort to catch the highlights tonight. It's already kicking off on the very first stage!

[tiermat]

For those not watching it live, I suggest you make an effort to catch the highlights tonight. It's already kicking off on the very first stage!

I was "watching" the live text feed (in catalan) on the race's website.  It sounds like a bit of a humdinger.

[tiermat]

Saw it this morning (had recorded it last night, but didn't have chance to see it).

What finish, all the way from the top of the last climb down to the finish.  If it keeps on like this my nerves will be more than a bit shredded!

[Ray 6701]

I luckily caught yesterdays stage on Eurosport 2 & have now set it to record on series link.  So that's Saturdays TV viewing sorted 

[tiermat]

What finish today, Quintana kept his nerve then just put too much space between him and Wiggo.

The rest of the race is going to be very interesting.

[citoyen]

Another mountaintop finish tomorrow, with a big old lump to get over along the way too. Could be very interesting indeed.

Great to see Wiggo attacking on a bloody huge mountain like that, even if he couldn't put a gap on Rodriguez and Valverde. Bodes well for the Giro.

[David Martin]

Quintana is not a problem. Wiggo is looking very good - now down to the three of them.

[citoyen]

Valverde and Quintana together could be a problem though...

Massive test tomorrow.

If Wiggins can at least stay close on the big climbs, it'll give him a huge advantage in the Giro when time trials also come into the equation.

Hesjedal is going to have to show a massive improvement in form over the next five weeks. Not sure who else among the Giro contenders can possibly match Wiggo as an all-rounder right now. Talansky, perhaps?

[citoyen]

Valverde, who was race leader, has crashed out on a descent! Shame. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

(Srsly, I don't much like him but I'm glad he's not badly injured.)

[citoyen]

Another magnificent day's racing in the Volta Catalunya. I won't say any more than that right now, but do watch the highlights!

[ran doner]

A good winner 

[David Martin]

Some epic racing there.

[tiermat]

A good winner 

Agreed