{"id":1840914,"date":"2026-03-22T09:48:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T06:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1840914"},"modified":"2026-03-22T09:48:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T06:48:16","slug":"crunch-time-in-the-pyrenees-for-jonas-vingegaard-remco-evenepoel-and-tom-pidcock-analysing-the-contenders-for-the-2026-volta-a-catalunya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1840914","title":{"rendered":"Crunch time in the Pyrenees for Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock \u2013 Analysing the contenders for the 2026 Volta a Catalunya"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nVolta a Catalunya\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Crunch time in the Pyrenees for Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock \u2013 Analysing the contenders for the 2026 Volta a Catalunya<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n<div class=\"text-[13px]\"><span><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nAlasdair Fotheringham <\/span><span><br \/>\npublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-03-22T09:48:16Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n22 March 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Still smarting from his recent setback in the UAE Tour mountains, Evenepoel now faces tougher rivals on a far harder course<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"mx-auto mb-4 flex items-center justify-start mx-0 my-5 p-0\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-700 mb-2 text-[12px] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-gray-700 [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><figcaption class=\"mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text\">2023 Volta a Catalunya: Remco Evenepoel claims a stage win ahead of overall winner Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d.<\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo\" class=\"contents\" data-only-inline=\"0\">\n<div class=\"visible flex flex-row flex-nowrap sticky max-lg:-ml-5 top-[60px] sm:top-0 z-[9994] w-screen lg:w-full h-[50px] bg-white p-0 mb-5 border-neutral-200 border border-solid xl:hidden\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Variants:Inline\" data-analytics-id=\"sticky-nav\" id=\"sticky-nav--inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"sticky-nav\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-row w-full h-full overflow-x-scroll overflow-y-hidden tracking-normal overscroll-x-contain\" id=\"sticky-nav__scroll-container\"><span class=\"pl-4 my-auto text-base font-semibold font-article-heading lg:pl-3 lg:text-sm whitespace-nowrap uppercase\">Jump to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-row w-auto border-y-0\">\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\nborder-b-[3px] border-b-[var(--jumpto-underline-color)] border-solid font-semibold \" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Jonas Vingegaard<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Remco Evenepoel<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Jo\u00e3o Almeida<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Tom Pidcock<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Richard Carapaz<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Ineos Grenadiers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Matthew Riccitello<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Derek Gee-West<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"!m-0\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b 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overflow-y-auto\">\n<div id=\"newsletter-capture-modal\">\n<div class=\"sm:text-xl text-base font-bold text-black mb-3 p-0 bg-inherit font-ui-heading\">Get the Cyclingnews Newsletter<\/div>\n<p class=\"text-gray-600 mb-4 text-sm sm:text-base font-article-copy\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<div data-component-name=\"Newsletter:NewsletterForm\">\n<hr class=\"modal_hr mt-3 mb-4 h-px bg-gray-300 border-0\">\n<div class=\"modal_footer block text-left opacity-80 text-[.8em] leading-[1.3em] mt-2 [&amp;&gt;a]:underline font-article-copy\">\nBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-modal-confirmation\" class=\"hidden\">\n<p class=\"sm:text-xl text-base font-bold text-black mb-3 p-0\">You are now subscribed<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-gray-600 mb-4 text-sm sm:text-base\">Your newsletter sign-up was successful<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsletter-modal-confirmation__userlogin\" class=\"hidden\">\n<hr class=\"my-5 h-px bg-gray-300 border-0\">\n<div class=\"items-start flex flex-col h-full justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flcw-text pb-5 pt-2 leading-[1.3]\"> An account already exists for this email address, please log in.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"94309358-f158-40f0-ba4a-4a53c2182da0\">Years come, years go, and the same is true for stars even as great as Tadej Poga\u010dar or Jonas Vingegaard. But whoever is ruling the stage racing roost, the Volta a Catalunya&#8217;s perennial role as the last major crossroads for those tackling the Giro d&#8217;Italia and those riders fully focussed on the Tour de France somehow endures.<\/p>\n<p>Ever since its last date change in 2010, this March, the seven-day 104-year-old race always offers the first big incursion of the season into the high-altitude Pyrenees, or any other major European mountain range, for that matter. This March, no less than three successive summit finishes on stages of increasing difficulty feature deep in the mountains separating the Iberian peninsula from France, combining to provide a painfully realistic reference point on their major climbing form for the Grand Tour specialists.<\/p>\n<p id=\"94309358-f158-40f0-ba4a-4a53c2182da0-2\">Of the three, the 4,000 metres of vertical climbing on stage 6, centred on a key Catalan cycling hub of Berga, was once described by now-retired mountains specialist Mike Woods to <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> in 2024 \u2013 before a stage with an identical route \u2013 as &#8220;one of the hardest I&#8217;ve ever seen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Where do the Tour de France contenders stand after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico? Our first form ranking of 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro face off in major GC clash \u2013 Analysing the UAE Tour favourites<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Certainly, nobody can be sure of victory before crossing the summit of the ultra-tough Coll del Pradell mid-stage next Saturday, on March 28, and maybe not even then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">With such a plethora of mountain climbing, coming fresh from his stand-out success at Paris-Nice, Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will be using Catalunya as his last big test before the Giro d&#8217;Italia. Meanwhile, following his difficult time on the ascents of the UAE Tour back in February, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) badly needs to reconfirm that he has made new progress on his climbing, as he builds for a repeat assault on the Tour de France.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">After his first altitude training camp of the year, the ascents to Vallter and Pal in the Pyrenees will be a much more valid reference than what happened in the Middle East. for Evenepoel. Similarly, Vingegaard has confirmed that he&#8217;s curious to see how he performs against the much longer ascents of Catalunya compared to those of Paris-Nice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Yet if Vingegaard and Evenepoel&#8217;s clash brings together two of the highest-profile names in the peloton for the first time this season, they are far from being the only well-known racers in the race next week, many of whom have unfinished business with the Volta.<\/p>\n<p>Take Jo\u00e3o Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), for example, with an excellent track record in week-long stage races, but who&#8217;s never managed to crack Catalunya.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">In fact, it&#8217;s pretty much inevitable that in a race like Catalunya, which invariably draws a star cast, Almeida and co. are far from being the only stand-out names with an eventful personal history in the Volta. Not only that, the Volta points the way to the Giro and the Tour, then, with Mauro Gianetti, UAE CEO, saying recently to <em>Cyclism&#8217; actu<\/em> that &#8220;We&#8217;ll already see there some things in the Volta that will be similar to what happens in May.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s impossible to forget the Tour, either, and particularly this year. Stage 7 of the Volta, its usual curtain closer, ends on the same climbs through Montju\u00efc Park in central Barcelona that will see the Tour get underway on Saturday, July 4. So, a week next Sunday, as the green-and-white jersey of the Volta faces its final challenges, that time-honoured saying about &#8216;the road to the Tour starts here&#8217; will ring truer than ever.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">How Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s missed chance at landing a statement performance on brutal UAE Tour climb makes the next races more essential in his Tour de France build-up \u2013 Analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Here is <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>&#8216; take on the wheels to follow out of Sant Feliu de Guixols next Monday lunchtime.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-jonas-vingegaard-visma-lease-a-bike\"><span>Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"7b1370c5-51c8-4c34-a15b-f1578f7b2d01\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Race leader Jonas Vingegaard on the last stage of Paris-Nice <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"f2edbb44-ff23-448f-b5ec-94e73d026b7c\">Strange but true: Jonas Vingegaard, one of the greatest stage racers of his generation, has never taken part in Catalunya before. The likelihood of the Dane not ever trying to take one of the few tough week-long races on the calendar that&#8217;s missing from his palmares was always small, though, even if with no time trial this year, it&#8217;ll all come down to Vingegaard&#8217;s level of prowess in the mountains.<\/p>\n<p>Vingegaard&#8217;s recent victory in Paris-Nice is a clear indication of how he&#8217;s firing on all cylinders, finishing the race with a stunning breakaway through the mountains overlooking Nice alongside stage victor Lenny Mart\u00ednez (Bahrain Victorious). A second major success in three weeks would even further consolidate his status as stand-out favourite for the Giro, and even a narrow defeat to a rider focusing on the Ardennes Classics, say, and therefore in slightly more finely honed form, would not feel like too much of a setback.<\/p>\n<p>Together with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Ineos, it&#8217;s worth noting that Visma have one of the most impressive lineups to back their team leader in Catalunya. US climbing giant Sepp Kuss is the stand-out name, but Bruno Armirail would likely be expected to play a key support role on the hillier stages, while former Giro d&#8217;Italia podium finisher Wilco Kelderman could also be crucial on the climbs.<\/p>\n<p>This is just as well, because given Vingegaard&#8217;s standout status as pre-race favourite \u2013 Evenepoel&#8217;s uneven climbing track record arguably precludes him from that position \u2013 ensure that his team will almost certainly be expected to keep the GC battle under control for the first three days. Then, come the long ascent to Vallter deep in the Pyrenees on stage 4, there will only be one rider that matters any more for Visma, and perhaps for the Volta too.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-remco-evenepoel-red-bull-bora-hansgrohe\"><span>Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"432bdfce-e6b8-431a-88c0-699b677b6e5e\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Remco Evenepoel getting dropped during the UAE Tour <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"c5d8390b-390b-40fd-ba83-e2785b85f886\">Three years ago, the usual small army of Flemish and Walloon journalists that track Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s every move descended on Catalunya to follow his nailbitingly close battle against now Red Bull teammate Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d, which ended with six seconds between them at the finish in favour of the Slovenian. And now they are back again, for the same reason: Remco is back in Catalunya, and wherever Remco goes, it&#8217;s frontpage news in Belgium: even during the Classics high season like now.<\/p>\n<p>Pre-UAE Tour, interest in how Remco fares would already have been high, given the depth of the opposition, and how the toughness of the Volta&#8217;s Pyrenean challenges make them merciless judges of current climbing form. But after his dramatic failure to impact in the UAE&#8217;s grinding ascents of Jebel Hafeet and Jebel Mobrah following his faultless start in the preceding races, Catalunya is where Evenepoel does (or does not) get back on the right climbing track. Either way, everybody wants to watch.<\/p>\n<p>Speculation has been rife that at some point, Evenepoel might get closer to Vingegaard in the Tour or even overtake him for the right and honour to stand the nearest to Poga\u010dar, as absolute favourite, on the final podium. Catalunya is the first opportunity to prove he can do so, and given Vingegaard&#8217;s Grand Tour preparation is in theory (but maybe not in practice) four weeks in advance of Evenepoel&#8217;s, the duel will be an interesting one.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, it&#8217;s worth watching how Evenepoel works for the first time ever with his high-flying teammates Florian Lipowitz \u2013 who followed Evenepoel in third place in the Tour last July \u2013 and recent Paris-Nice podium finisher Dani Mart\u00ednez. Both the German and the Colombian have at least as much potential to shine in the Volta as their Belgian counterpart. The first Pyrenean summit finish of the Volta, to Vallter on Friday, will say a lot about their relative condition, the team&#8217;s internal pecking order for the race, and perhaps beyond.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-joao-almeida-uae-team-emirates-xrg\"><span>Jo\u00e3o Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"6eb74b04-e686-4933-96fd-a6b79e1342b3\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Jo\u00e3o Almeida on the podium at the Volta ao Algarve <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"337d7388-229e-4c50-b8c7-8bdb989d5c43\">Until now in 2026, Jo\u00e3o Almeida has been the usual model of consistency in his results, with second in the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana predictably (but admirably) followed by third in the Volta ao Algarve. But the last-minute absence due to &#8216;flu&#8217; at Paris-Nice both marked another chapter of his ongoing war of words with Jonas Vingegaard about missing out on races (and adds a fresh layer of potential intrigue to their clash in Catalunya), and it was a first setback in 2026, too.<\/p>\n<p>The most successful week-long stage racer of 2025, even ahead of Poga\u010dar, Almeida&#8217;s palmares mean he is a rider who simply can&#8217;t be ruled out of the overall battle in Catalunya. He&#8217;s also the last rider to defeat Vingegaard in a summit finish, and in no ordinary summit finish either &#8211; the Angliru in the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a last year. So finding out what kind of Almeida we&#8217;ve got on our hands in the Volta is likely to be one of the first big questions to be resolved on stage 4 to Vallter. Will it be the rider whose climbing reached new heights in 2025, or will it be the racer looking to hit top form in the Giro (and then in the Vuelta, so late on in the season) for whom the Volta&#8217;s biggest climbs really come too a mite soon this year?<\/p>\n<p>The rollercoaster history of Almeida in the Volta complicates matters a bit more, too. His unremarkable ninth place last March came after working tooth and nail to defend then-teammate Juan Ayuso&#8217;s ambitions in his unsuccessful battle to keep Rogli\u010d at bay, so it can be discounted. However, his third place in the 2022 race was taken after a superb summit finish win in the Pyrenees, then falling foul in mysterious circumstances to a long-distance attack by Sergio Higuita (XDS-Astana) and Richie Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).<\/p>\n<p>Almeida&#8217;s Volta history tells us literally anything could happen. But in his first face-off against Vingegaard since the Vuelta last year, Almeida surely won&#8217;t want to lose an opportunity for sporting revenge against the man who beat him to what would have been his first Grand Tour, either.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-tom-pidcock-pinarello-q36-5\"><span>Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"f11228f9-1d30-4594-82e4-f03d5d55ed2f\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Tom Pidcock raced to second place at Milan-San Remo <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"b201d14b-ee08-4042-8a10-d5c59662c5e9\">Talking of the Vuelta, Tom Pidcock&#8217;s presence in the Volta means that for the first time on Monday, all three podium finishers from the Spanish Grand Tour will be on the same start line of a race. And like former Vuelta winner Evenepoel, Pidcock will be using the Volta as another big test of his stage racing condition prior to a return to the Tour de France next July.<\/p>\n<p>Third in Madrid last September in the Vuelta represented a big step forward for the Briton, and his recent victory in Milan-Turin gave him some timely one-day success before beginning his Ardennes Classics campaign. The lack of a time trial won&#8217;t do his chances of GC success any harm at all in the Volta, yet his track record in poor weather conditions \u2013 see Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this February \u2013 doesn&#8217;t augur so well for a race where snow and freezing cold can very easily impact.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, having raced to a career-best second place at San Remo just two days before, the very fiddly transfer across to the Volta&#8217;s start at Sant Feliu de Guixols often takes its toll on riders should the race ignite early on.<\/p>\n<p>Like Vingegaard, Pidcock is new to Catalunya as well, but if the big climbs favour the Dane, the final stage through Montju\u00efc already looks more than ideal for a rider with such an explosive talent on short ascents like the park&#8217;s demanding final slopes. Quite what he&#8217;ll be able to do in the Pyrenean climbs that precede it, though, is rather harder to predict: so far out from the Tour, there are a lot of factors in play. But given this is Pidcock we&#8217;re talking about, the odds are that whatever he does, it&#8217;ll always be interesting.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-richard-carapaz-ef-education-easypost\"><span>Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"f7ec0ada-478f-4825-8551-ea58fcd0c2e1\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Richard Carapaz talks to the media at Tirreno-Adriatico <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"330f18ba-f1e8-4159-92cd-a7e98de0cc4a\">Up until now this season, Richard Carapaz has been flying so far under the radar that he&#8217;s barely given an interview, still less been seen on television. But with the passing of time, you get the impression that&#8217;s exactly how the Ecuadorian likes it \u2013 because it means that when he does go on the attack, nobody&#8217;s seen it coming.<\/p>\n<p>The unpredictable but ultra-aggressive EF Education-Easy Post leader is yet another Giro d&#8217;Italia contender who&#8217;s using the Volta as his launchpad for May, and so far this year, in three races, an anonymous 18th place overall in Tirreno-Adriatico is his best result to date.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the thing about Carapaz is he knows exactly how to suddenly rise to the occasion and take the field by surprise \u2013 witness his spectacular long-distance move with Higuita in the Volta back in 2022, which upset the entire applecart in the race \u2013 and nobody is putting that possibility past him in Catalunya this year.<\/p>\n<p>After all, who could forget when he won from a spectacular late flyer last May in the Giro at Castelnovo ne&#8217; Monti, then went on to challenge Isaac del Toro for overall victory in a hugely entertaining battle on the Colle delle Finestre?<\/p>\n<p>Carapaz hasn&#8217;t actually won a WorldTour week-long race since the Tour de Suisse in 2021. Yet he&#8217;s got the rare gift of being able to win even when he&#8217;s not the strongest rider present, and he can read races like almost no other rider. Put all of this together, not to mention Carapaz&#8217;s long-established propensity for only going for the biggest races on the calendar, and you&#8217;ve got yourself another important 2026 Volta a Catalunya contender.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-ineos-grenadiers-carlos-rodriguez-oscar-onley\"><span> Ineos Grenadiers: Carlos Rodr\u00edguez, Oscar Onley<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"5b90d664-873c-4946-b804-4eddef544f0e\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Oscar Onley is among the leaders at Ineos Grenadiers this week <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"c7d80407-6b42-43e4-8cd5-5dc091420870\">On paper, one of the three strongest teams of this year&#8217;s Volta, local fans still recollect the 2021 edition of the race when Adam Yates, Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte made Ineos Grenadiers the first squad to claim all three top spots on Catalunya&#8217;s podium in over 60 years. Times and riders and teams have moved on, but Ineos three top contenders all have reasons to hope to impact in Catalunya. Plus, when it comes to Ineos&#8217; 2026 campaign to prove they really can turn back the clock to their glory days of the 2010s, no amount of success is ever really enough.<\/p>\n<p>So far, it has to be said, things have been mostly hit but with a few notable misses: after a promising start to the season following a serious injury last year, Rodr\u00edguez&#8217;s very low-key participation in Paris-Nice was hampered by a crash in the first stage, after which he went into team helper mode.<\/p>\n<p>Egan Bernal shone brightly in the Colombian Nationals, and his seventh place in Faun Ard\u00e8che also augured well. But again, he&#8217;s been missing since then. He had been set to race Catalunya but still isn&#8217;t fit enough to return to action.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there&#8217;s Oscar Onley, part of the Ineos first major triumph of the season in the Paris-Nice TTT, only to fall ill and abandon.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Bernal and Rodr\u00edguez, who are both old hands at Catalunya, Onley has only participated in it once and to unremarkable effect, taking 39th place overall back in 2023. Essentially, the key question will be whether Onley has recovered from his Paris-Nice sickness to move directly into a team leader role, or if Rodr\u00edguez \u2013 assuming he&#8217;s fully over his crash \u2013 and Bernal could then step into the same spot.<\/p>\n<p>Realistically, a stage win and a podium spot seem like the best possible target for Ineos overall. But when it comes to teams with several very strong riders who aren&#8217;t quite at top contender level, oftentimes it&#8217;s how well they communicate and adapt to a single goal that really counts.<\/p>\n<p>Given their strength in depth, it&#8217;d be a surprise to see Ineos leave the race without shaking the tree at least in one of the three stages. Meanwhile don&#8217;t forget Bernal still has a score to settle with the last day&#8217;s racing in Montju\u00efc \u2013 it was there on a very greasy downhill that he crashed and broke his collarbone in 2018 \u2013 and his one win so far this year, back in Colombia in the Nationals&#8217; was on a very similar course with multiple repeats of a single, very tough climb. Just saying.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-matthew-riccitello-decathlon-cma-cgm\"><span>Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"4393daec-4308-41e4-94c2-7b067b677307\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Matthew Riccitello outpacing Carlos Rodr\u00edguez at the Tour de la Provence <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"4a240e1e-29dc-474c-ad7e-1dc0ecaaaa48\">A bit of an outlier? Perhaps, but after winning the Tour de la Provence, then getting sixth in the Volta ao Algarve, the 24-year-old from Tucson is part of a fast-rising new generation of young all-rounders and his climbing abilities. This year alone, beating the (slightly) older and much more WorldTour-hardened racer Carlos Rodr\u00edguez on a snow-covered summit finish formed the biggest foundation of his victory in Provence.<\/p>\n<p>And if Riccitello is good at performing in sub-zero temperatures in ice-enshrouded ski stations, there are always more than enough of those locations to choose from in the traditionally weather-blasted Volta.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s also turned in one huge performance at the three-week level, too, in the 2025 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a, where he claimed fifth. But having got his Grand Tours success in progress already, now it&#8217;s time for him to step up a grade, if he can, in terms of consistency in bigger and harder World Tour week-long races.<\/p>\n<p>The Volta has always served as an ideal platform for that kind of breakthrough for young riders. To name but a few in recent years, Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana (before he signed for Movistar and when he won the King of the Mountains with a small Colombian team) and Hugh Carthy, once Best Young Rider in the Volta, all shone brightly, very early in their careers, over several days in the roads of Catalunya before going on to greater things. This March could now be Riccitello&#8217;s moment to join their company.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-derek-gee-west-lidl-trek\"><span>Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"1dc63def-8ca5-4098-ae20-89ec62a24963\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Derek Gee-West in action at the UAE Tour <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"ab23f004-5a2d-4d6a-96c9-6889ed80e3d1\">Lidl-Trek must be thanking their lucky stars they opted to sign Derek Gee-West at the last minute last year. It&#8217;s not only because the Canadian National Champion finished seventh overall in the recent UAE Tour, which bodes well in terms of his early-season form and suggests he&#8217;s integrating well in his new squad.<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, given the miserable luck currently being suffered by several of the Lidl-Trek team leaders \u2013 Juan Ayuso, Jonathan Milan and Matthias Skjelmose are all in the sick bay right now, while Mads Pedersen made it back to race Milan-San Remo \u2013 Gee-West looks like one of their best options for stand-out success next week.<\/p>\n<p>A debut participant in the Volta and aiming for the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the 28-year-old has an excellent track record of top-five finishes in week-long stage races since his breakthrough podium in the Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9 back in 2024. A fourth place in Tirreno-Adriatico last year and a win overall in the tough, relatively new ultra-hilly Spanish stage race, O Gran Cami\u00f1o, both bode well.<\/p>\n<p>But above all, Gee-West will be looking to see how closely he&#8217;s approaching the form he had when he got a surprising fourth overall in the Giro d&#8217;Italia last year. Just as for everybody, for Gee-West, there&#8217;s more than a whiff of the Grand Tours about how he fares in the Volta a Catalunya this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-UjzUzfsbjxTMbVC9eXfjAi\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-UjzUzfsbjxTMbVC9eXfjAi slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__avatar-block\">\n<figure class=\"image-wrapped__wrapper\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"false\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__widthsetter\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__aspect-padding\">\n<div><source class=\"author__avatar image-wrapped__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ-140-80.jpg.webp 140w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Alasdair Fotheringham<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__social\">\n<nav class=\"button-social-group author__social-buttons\" aria-labelledby=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">\n<div id=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">Social Links Navigation<\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>, he has also written for <em>The Independent<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>The Guardian<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>ProCycling<\/em>, <em>The Express<\/em> and <em>Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mt-6 lg:px-0 relative max-w-[1070px] mx-auto viafoura-twig-component px-4\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class='vfcustom-community-guidelines'&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 !text-lg\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 !text-sm\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Where do the Tour de France contenders stand after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico? Our first form ranking of 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro face off in major GC clash \u2013 Analysing the UAE Tour favourites<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">How Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s missed chance at landing a statement performance on brutal UAE Tour climb makes the next races more essential in his Tour de France build-up \u2013 Analysis<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Racing<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UCI Gravel World Series: Nicole Frain best in three-rider women&#8217;s sprint while Jarno Bellens goes solo to win elite men&#8217;s race at Turnhout Gravel<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Reflections from the men&#8217;s Milan-San Remo \u2013 Poga\u010dar overcomes the chaos, prefers focaccia to a 2027 return, McNulty&#8217;s work, and praise for Van der Poel and Pedersen<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Photo finish at Midwest Cycling Classic goes to Lonneke Uneken as Martina Alzini celebrates too early for a second time<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;If you don&#8217;t take risk, it&#8217;s not topsport&#8217; \u2013 Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney gives injury update following Milan-San Remo Women crash<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">GP Jean-Pierre Monser\u00e9: Dylan Groenewegen blasts through final metres and denies breakaway for victory<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;She was the Plan A&#8217; \u2013 Defending champion Lorena Wiebes happy to play team role for SD Worx-Protime as Lotte Kopecky wins Milan-San Remo Women<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Previews<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The Poga\u010dar followers, the fast finishers and the outsiders \u2013 Analysing the Milan-San Remo contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Can the sprinters shut down a Poggio attack or will aggressors seize the day? &#8211; Analysing the favourites for the 2026 Milan-San Remo Women<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Trofeo Alfredo Binda contenders \u2013 Will it be a repeat victor or a new protagonist celebrating in Cittiglio?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Will Demi Vollering take a third win or can the powerful SD Worx-Protime and Visma-Lease a Bike duos stand in her way? \u2013\u00a0Analysing the favourites for Strade Bianche Women<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-popularBox\" class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice popularBox slice-container-popularBox\">\n<section data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"popular-box\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">LATEST ARTICLES<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div><source class=\"popular-box__article-list__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT.jpg\" 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season<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;It&#8217;s time to win one again&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel escapes the Mount Teide snow to chase first WorldTour stage race win in three years at Volta a Catalunya<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Photo finish at Midwest Cycling Classic goes to Lonneke Uneken as Martina Alzini celebrates too early for a second time<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nVolta a Catalunya\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Crunch time in the Pyrenees for Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock \u2013 Analysing the contenders for the 2026 Volta a Catalunya<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n<div class=\"text-[13px]\"><span><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nAlasdair Fotheringham <\/span><span><br \/>\npublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-03-22T09:48:16Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n22 March 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Still smarting from his recent setback in the UAE Tour mountains, Evenepoel now faces tougher rivals on a far harder course<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"mx-auto mb-4 flex items-center justify-start mx-0 my-5 p-0\" 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Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 600px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><figcaption class=\"mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text\">2023 Volta a Catalunya: Remco Evenepoel claims a stage win ahead of overall winner Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d.<\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo\" class=\"contents\" data-only-inline=\"0\">\n<div class=\"visible flex flex-row flex-nowrap sticky max-lg:-ml-5 top-[60px] sm:top-0 z-[9994] w-screen lg:w-full h-[50px] bg-white p-0 mb-5 border-neutral-200 border border-solid xl:hidden\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Variants:Inline\" data-analytics-id=\"sticky-nav\" id=\"sticky-nav--inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"sticky-nav\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-row w-full h-full overflow-x-scroll overflow-y-hidden tracking-normal overscroll-x-contain\" id=\"sticky-nav__scroll-container\"><span class=\"pl-4 my-auto text-base font-semibold font-article-heading lg:pl-3 lg:text-sm whitespace-nowrap uppercase\">Jump to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-row w-auto border-y-0\">\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\nborder-b-[3px] border-b-[var(--jumpto-underline-color)] border-solid font-semibold \" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Jonas Vingegaard<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Remco Evenepoel<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Jo\u00e3o Almeida<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Tom Pidcock<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Richard Carapaz<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Ineos Grenadiers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Matthew Riccitello<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"inline-flex after:content-[''] after:inline-block after:relative after:h-3\/6 after:w-px after:bg-neutral-200 after:top-1\/4\n\" data-component-name=\"Article:JumpTo:Inline:Link\">\n<p>Derek Gee-West<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"!m-0\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b 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overflow-y-auto\">\n<div id=\"newsletter-capture-modal\">\n<div class=\"sm:text-xl text-base font-bold text-black mb-3 p-0 bg-inherit font-ui-heading\">Get the Cyclingnews Newsletter<\/div>\n<p class=\"text-gray-600 mb-4 text-sm sm:text-base font-article-copy\">The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<div data-component-name=\"Newsletter:NewsletterForm\">\n<hr class=\"modal_hr mt-3 mb-4 h-px bg-gray-300 border-0\">\n<div class=\"modal_footer block text-left opacity-80 text-[.8em] leading-[1.3em] mt-2 [&amp;&gt;a]:underline font-article-copy\">\nBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms &amp; Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-modal-confirmation\" class=\"hidden\">\n<p class=\"sm:text-xl text-base font-bold text-black mb-3 p-0\">You are now subscribed<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-gray-600 mb-4 text-sm sm:text-base\">Your newsletter sign-up was successful<\/p>\n<div id=\"newsletter-modal-confirmation__userlogin\" class=\"hidden\">\n<hr class=\"my-5 h-px bg-gray-300 border-0\">\n<div class=\"items-start flex flex-col h-full justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flcw-text pb-5 pt-2 leading-[1.3]\"> An account already exists for this email address, please log in.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"94309358-f158-40f0-ba4a-4a53c2182da0\">Years come, years go, and the same is true for stars even as great as Tadej Poga\u010dar or Jonas Vingegaard. But whoever is ruling the stage racing roost, the Volta a Catalunya&#8217;s perennial role as the last major crossroads for those tackling the Giro d&#8217;Italia and those riders fully focussed on the Tour de France somehow endures.<\/p>\n<p>Ever since its last date change in 2010, this March, the seven-day 104-year-old race always offers the first big incursion of the season into the high-altitude Pyrenees, or any other major European mountain range, for that matter. This March, no less than three successive summit finishes on stages of increasing difficulty feature deep in the mountains separating the Iberian peninsula from France, combining to provide a painfully realistic reference point on their major climbing form for the Grand Tour specialists.<\/p>\n<p id=\"94309358-f158-40f0-ba4a-4a53c2182da0-2\">Of the three, the 4,000 metres of vertical climbing on stage 6, centred on a key Catalan cycling hub of Berga, was once described by now-retired mountains specialist Mike Woods to <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> in 2024 \u2013 before a stage with an identical route \u2013 as &#8220;one of the hardest I&#8217;ve ever seen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Where do the Tour de France contenders stand after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico? Our first form ranking of 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro face off in major GC clash \u2013 Analysing the UAE Tour favourites<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Certainly, nobody can be sure of victory before crossing the summit of the ultra-tough Coll del Pradell mid-stage next Saturday, on March 28, and maybe not even then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">With such a plethora of mountain climbing, coming fresh from his stand-out success at Paris-Nice, Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will be using Catalunya as his last big test before the Giro d&#8217;Italia. Meanwhile, following his difficult time on the ascents of the UAE Tour back in February, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) badly needs to reconfirm that he has made new progress on his climbing, as he builds for a repeat assault on the Tour de France.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">After his first altitude training camp of the year, the ascents to Vallter and Pal in the Pyrenees will be a much more valid reference than what happened in the Middle East. for Evenepoel. Similarly, Vingegaard has confirmed that he&#8217;s curious to see how he performs against the much longer ascents of Catalunya compared to those of Paris-Nice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Yet if Vingegaard and Evenepoel&#8217;s clash brings together two of the highest-profile names in the peloton for the first time this season, they are far from being the only well-known racers in the race next week, many of whom have unfinished business with the Volta.<\/p>\n<p>Take Jo\u00e3o Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), for example, with an excellent track record in week-long stage races, but who&#8217;s never managed to crack Catalunya.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">In fact, it&#8217;s pretty much inevitable that in a race like Catalunya, which invariably draws a star cast, Almeida and co. are far from being the only stand-out names with an eventful personal history in the Volta. Not only that, the Volta points the way to the Giro and the Tour, then, with Mauro Gianetti, UAE CEO, saying recently to <em>Cyclism&#8217; actu<\/em> that &#8220;We&#8217;ll already see there some things in the Volta that will be similar to what happens in May.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s impossible to forget the Tour, either, and particularly this year. Stage 7 of the Volta, its usual curtain closer, ends on the same climbs through Montju\u00efc Park in central Barcelona that will see the Tour get underway on Saturday, July 4. So, a week next Sunday, as the green-and-white jersey of the Volta faces its final challenges, that time-honoured saying about &#8216;the road to the Tour starts here&#8217; will ring truer than ever.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">How Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s missed chance at landing a statement performance on brutal UAE Tour climb makes the next races more essential in his Tour de France build-up \u2013 Analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Here is <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>&#8216; take on the wheels to follow out of Sant Feliu de Guixols next Monday lunchtime.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-jonas-vingegaard-visma-lease-a-bike\"><span>Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"7b1370c5-51c8-4c34-a15b-f1578f7b2d01\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Race leader Jonas Vingegaard on the last stage of Paris-Nice <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"f2edbb44-ff23-448f-b5ec-94e73d026b7c\">Strange but true: Jonas Vingegaard, one of the greatest stage racers of his generation, has never taken part in Catalunya before. The likelihood of the Dane not ever trying to take one of the few tough week-long races on the calendar that&#8217;s missing from his palmares was always small, though, even if with no time trial this year, it&#8217;ll all come down to Vingegaard&#8217;s level of prowess in the mountains.<\/p>\n<p>Vingegaard&#8217;s recent victory in Paris-Nice is a clear indication of how he&#8217;s firing on all cylinders, finishing the race with a stunning breakaway through the mountains overlooking Nice alongside stage victor Lenny Mart\u00ednez (Bahrain Victorious). A second major success in three weeks would even further consolidate his status as stand-out favourite for the Giro, and even a narrow defeat to a rider focusing on the Ardennes Classics, say, and therefore in slightly more finely honed form, would not feel like too much of a setback.<\/p>\n<p>Together with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Ineos, it&#8217;s worth noting that Visma have one of the most impressive lineups to back their team leader in Catalunya. US climbing giant Sepp Kuss is the stand-out name, but Bruno Armirail would likely be expected to play a key support role on the hillier stages, while former Giro d&#8217;Italia podium finisher Wilco Kelderman could also be crucial on the climbs.<\/p>\n<p>This is just as well, because given Vingegaard&#8217;s standout status as pre-race favourite \u2013 Evenepoel&#8217;s uneven climbing track record arguably precludes him from that position \u2013 ensure that his team will almost certainly be expected to keep the GC battle under control for the first three days. Then, come the long ascent to Vallter deep in the Pyrenees on stage 4, there will only be one rider that matters any more for Visma, and perhaps for the Volta too.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-remco-evenepoel-red-bull-bora-hansgrohe\"><span>Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"432bdfce-e6b8-431a-88c0-699b677b6e5e\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Remco Evenepoel getting dropped during the UAE Tour <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"c5d8390b-390b-40fd-ba83-e2785b85f886\">Three years ago, the usual small army of Flemish and Walloon journalists that track Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s every move descended on Catalunya to follow his nailbitingly close battle against now Red Bull teammate Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d, which ended with six seconds between them at the finish in favour of the Slovenian. And now they are back again, for the same reason: Remco is back in Catalunya, and wherever Remco goes, it&#8217;s frontpage news in Belgium: even during the Classics high season like now.<\/p>\n<p>Pre-UAE Tour, interest in how Remco fares would already have been high, given the depth of the opposition, and how the toughness of the Volta&#8217;s Pyrenean challenges make them merciless judges of current climbing form. But after his dramatic failure to impact in the UAE&#8217;s grinding ascents of Jebel Hafeet and Jebel Mobrah following his faultless start in the preceding races, Catalunya is where Evenepoel does (or does not) get back on the right climbing track. Either way, everybody wants to watch.<\/p>\n<p>Speculation has been rife that at some point, Evenepoel might get closer to Vingegaard in the Tour or even overtake him for the right and honour to stand the nearest to Poga\u010dar, as absolute favourite, on the final podium. Catalunya is the first opportunity to prove he can do so, and given Vingegaard&#8217;s Grand Tour preparation is in theory (but maybe not in practice) four weeks in advance of Evenepoel&#8217;s, the duel will be an interesting one.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, it&#8217;s worth watching how Evenepoel works for the first time ever with his high-flying teammates Florian Lipowitz \u2013 who followed Evenepoel in third place in the Tour last July \u2013 and recent Paris-Nice podium finisher Dani Mart\u00ednez. Both the German and the Colombian have at least as much potential to shine in the Volta as their Belgian counterpart. The first Pyrenean summit finish of the Volta, to Vallter on Friday, will say a lot about their relative condition, the team&#8217;s internal pecking order for the race, and perhaps beyond.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-joao-almeida-uae-team-emirates-xrg\"><span>Jo\u00e3o Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"6eb74b04-e686-4933-96fd-a6b79e1342b3\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Jo\u00e3o Almeida on the podium at the Volta ao Algarve <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"337d7388-229e-4c50-b8c7-8bdb989d5c43\">Until now in 2026, Jo\u00e3o Almeida has been the usual model of consistency in his results, with second in the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana predictably (but admirably) followed by third in the Volta ao Algarve. But the last-minute absence due to &#8216;flu&#8217; at Paris-Nice both marked another chapter of his ongoing war of words with Jonas Vingegaard about missing out on races (and adds a fresh layer of potential intrigue to their clash in Catalunya), and it was a first setback in 2026, too.<\/p>\n<p>The most successful week-long stage racer of 2025, even ahead of Poga\u010dar, Almeida&#8217;s palmares mean he is a rider who simply can&#8217;t be ruled out of the overall battle in Catalunya. He&#8217;s also the last rider to defeat Vingegaard in a summit finish, and in no ordinary summit finish either &#8211; the Angliru in the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a last year. So finding out what kind of Almeida we&#8217;ve got on our hands in the Volta is likely to be one of the first big questions to be resolved on stage 4 to Vallter. Will it be the rider whose climbing reached new heights in 2025, or will it be the racer looking to hit top form in the Giro (and then in the Vuelta, so late on in the season) for whom the Volta&#8217;s biggest climbs really come too a mite soon this year?<\/p>\n<p>The rollercoaster history of Almeida in the Volta complicates matters a bit more, too. His unremarkable ninth place last March came after working tooth and nail to defend then-teammate Juan Ayuso&#8217;s ambitions in his unsuccessful battle to keep Rogli\u010d at bay, so it can be discounted. However, his third place in the 2022 race was taken after a superb summit finish win in the Pyrenees, then falling foul in mysterious circumstances to a long-distance attack by Sergio Higuita (XDS-Astana) and Richie Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).<\/p>\n<p>Almeida&#8217;s Volta history tells us literally anything could happen. But in his first face-off against Vingegaard since the Vuelta last year, Almeida surely won&#8217;t want to lose an opportunity for sporting revenge against the man who beat him to what would have been his first Grand Tour, either.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-tom-pidcock-pinarello-q36-5\"><span>Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"f11228f9-1d30-4594-82e4-f03d5d55ed2f\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Tom Pidcock raced to second place at Milan-San Remo <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"b201d14b-ee08-4042-8a10-d5c59662c5e9\">Talking of the Vuelta, Tom Pidcock&#8217;s presence in the Volta means that for the first time on Monday, all three podium finishers from the Spanish Grand Tour will be on the same start line of a race. And like former Vuelta winner Evenepoel, Pidcock will be using the Volta as another big test of his stage racing condition prior to a return to the Tour de France next July.<\/p>\n<p>Third in Madrid last September in the Vuelta represented a big step forward for the Briton, and his recent victory in Milan-Turin gave him some timely one-day success before beginning his Ardennes Classics campaign. The lack of a time trial won&#8217;t do his chances of GC success any harm at all in the Volta, yet his track record in poor weather conditions \u2013 see Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this February \u2013 doesn&#8217;t augur so well for a race where snow and freezing cold can very easily impact.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, having raced to a career-best second place at San Remo just two days before, the very fiddly transfer across to the Volta&#8217;s start at Sant Feliu de Guixols often takes its toll on riders should the race ignite early on.<\/p>\n<p>Like Vingegaard, Pidcock is new to Catalunya as well, but if the big climbs favour the Dane, the final stage through Montju\u00efc already looks more than ideal for a rider with such an explosive talent on short ascents like the park&#8217;s demanding final slopes. Quite what he&#8217;ll be able to do in the Pyrenean climbs that precede it, though, is rather harder to predict: so far out from the Tour, there are a lot of factors in play. But given this is Pidcock we&#8217;re talking about, the odds are that whatever he does, it&#8217;ll always be interesting.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-richard-carapaz-ef-education-easypost\"><span>Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"f7ec0ada-478f-4825-8551-ea58fcd0c2e1\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Richard Carapaz talks to the media at Tirreno-Adriatico <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"330f18ba-f1e8-4159-92cd-a7e98de0cc4a\">Up until now this season, Richard Carapaz has been flying so far under the radar that he&#8217;s barely given an interview, still less been seen on television. But with the passing of time, you get the impression that&#8217;s exactly how the Ecuadorian likes it \u2013 because it means that when he does go on the attack, nobody&#8217;s seen it coming.<\/p>\n<p>The unpredictable but ultra-aggressive EF Education-Easy Post leader is yet another Giro d&#8217;Italia contender who&#8217;s using the Volta as his launchpad for May, and so far this year, in three races, an anonymous 18th place overall in Tirreno-Adriatico is his best result to date.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the thing about Carapaz is he knows exactly how to suddenly rise to the occasion and take the field by surprise \u2013 witness his spectacular long-distance move with Higuita in the Volta back in 2022, which upset the entire applecart in the race \u2013 and nobody is putting that possibility past him in Catalunya this year.<\/p>\n<p>After all, who could forget when he won from a spectacular late flyer last May in the Giro at Castelnovo ne&#8217; Monti, then went on to challenge Isaac del Toro for overall victory in a hugely entertaining battle on the Colle delle Finestre?<\/p>\n<p>Carapaz hasn&#8217;t actually won a WorldTour week-long race since the Tour de Suisse in 2021. Yet he&#8217;s got the rare gift of being able to win even when he&#8217;s not the strongest rider present, and he can read races like almost no other rider. Put all of this together, not to mention Carapaz&#8217;s long-established propensity for only going for the biggest races on the calendar, and you&#8217;ve got yourself another important 2026 Volta a Catalunya contender.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-ineos-grenadiers-carlos-rodriguez-oscar-onley\"><span> Ineos Grenadiers: Carlos Rodr\u00edguez, Oscar Onley<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"5b90d664-873c-4946-b804-4eddef544f0e\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Oscar Onley is among the leaders at Ineos Grenadiers this week <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"c7d80407-6b42-43e4-8cd5-5dc091420870\">On paper, one of the three strongest teams of this year&#8217;s Volta, local fans still recollect the 2021 edition of the race when Adam Yates, Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte made Ineos Grenadiers the first squad to claim all three top spots on Catalunya&#8217;s podium in over 60 years. Times and riders and teams have moved on, but Ineos three top contenders all have reasons to hope to impact in Catalunya. Plus, when it comes to Ineos&#8217; 2026 campaign to prove they really can turn back the clock to their glory days of the 2010s, no amount of success is ever really enough.<\/p>\n<p>So far, it has to be said, things have been mostly hit but with a few notable misses: after a promising start to the season following a serious injury last year, Rodr\u00edguez&#8217;s very low-key participation in Paris-Nice was hampered by a crash in the first stage, after which he went into team helper mode.<\/p>\n<p>Egan Bernal shone brightly in the Colombian Nationals, and his seventh place in Faun Ard\u00e8che also augured well. But again, he&#8217;s been missing since then. He had been set to race Catalunya but still isn&#8217;t fit enough to return to action.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there&#8217;s Oscar Onley, part of the Ineos first major triumph of the season in the Paris-Nice TTT, only to fall ill and abandon.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Bernal and Rodr\u00edguez, who are both old hands at Catalunya, Onley has only participated in it once and to unremarkable effect, taking 39th place overall back in 2023. Essentially, the key question will be whether Onley has recovered from his Paris-Nice sickness to move directly into a team leader role, or if Rodr\u00edguez \u2013 assuming he&#8217;s fully over his crash \u2013 and Bernal could then step into the same spot.<\/p>\n<p>Realistically, a stage win and a podium spot seem like the best possible target for Ineos overall. But when it comes to teams with several very strong riders who aren&#8217;t quite at top contender level, oftentimes it&#8217;s how well they communicate and adapt to a single goal that really counts.<\/p>\n<p>Given their strength in depth, it&#8217;d be a surprise to see Ineos leave the race without shaking the tree at least in one of the three stages. Meanwhile don&#8217;t forget Bernal still has a score to settle with the last day&#8217;s racing in Montju\u00efc \u2013 it was there on a very greasy downhill that he crashed and broke his collarbone in 2018 \u2013 and his one win so far this year, back in Colombia in the Nationals&#8217; was on a very similar course with multiple repeats of a single, very tough climb. Just saying.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-matthew-riccitello-decathlon-cma-cgm\"><span>Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"4393daec-4308-41e4-94c2-7b067b677307\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Matthew Riccitello outpacing Carlos Rodr\u00edguez at the Tour de la Provence <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"4a240e1e-29dc-474c-ad7e-1dc0ecaaaa48\">A bit of an outlier? Perhaps, but after winning the Tour de la Provence, then getting sixth in the Volta ao Algarve, the 24-year-old from Tucson is part of a fast-rising new generation of young all-rounders and his climbing abilities. This year alone, beating the (slightly) older and much more WorldTour-hardened racer Carlos Rodr\u00edguez on a snow-covered summit finish formed the biggest foundation of his victory in Provence.<\/p>\n<p>And if Riccitello is good at performing in sub-zero temperatures in ice-enshrouded ski stations, there are always more than enough of those locations to choose from in the traditionally weather-blasted Volta.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s also turned in one huge performance at the three-week level, too, in the 2025 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a, where he claimed fifth. But having got his Grand Tours success in progress already, now it&#8217;s time for him to step up a grade, if he can, in terms of consistency in bigger and harder World Tour week-long races.<\/p>\n<p>The Volta has always served as an ideal platform for that kind of breakthrough for young riders. To name but a few in recent years, Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana (before he signed for Movistar and when he won the King of the Mountains with a small Colombian team) and Hugh Carthy, once Best Young Rider in the Volta, all shone brightly, very early in their careers, over several days in the roads of Catalunya before going on to greater things. This March could now be Riccitello&#8217;s moment to join their company.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-derek-gee-west-lidl-trek\"><span>Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"1dc63def-8ca5-4098-ae20-89ec62a24963\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Derek Gee-West in action at the UAE Tour <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"ab23f004-5a2d-4d6a-96c9-6889ed80e3d1\">Lidl-Trek must be thanking their lucky stars they opted to sign Derek Gee-West at the last minute last year. It&#8217;s not only because the Canadian National Champion finished seventh overall in the recent UAE Tour, which bodes well in terms of his early-season form and suggests he&#8217;s integrating well in his new squad.<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, given the miserable luck currently being suffered by several of the Lidl-Trek team leaders \u2013 Juan Ayuso, Jonathan Milan and Matthias Skjelmose are all in the sick bay right now, while Mads Pedersen made it back to race Milan-San Remo \u2013 Gee-West looks like one of their best options for stand-out success next week.<\/p>\n<p>A debut participant in the Volta and aiming for the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the 28-year-old has an excellent track record of top-five finishes in week-long stage races since his breakthrough podium in the Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9 back in 2024. A fourth place in Tirreno-Adriatico last year and a win overall in the tough, relatively new ultra-hilly Spanish stage race, O Gran Cami\u00f1o, both bode well.<\/p>\n<p>But above all, Gee-West will be looking to see how closely he&#8217;s approaching the form he had when he got a surprising fourth overall in the Giro d&#8217;Italia last year. Just as for everybody, for Gee-West, there&#8217;s more than a whiff of the Grand Tours about how he fares in the Volta a Catalunya this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-UjzUzfsbjxTMbVC9eXfjAi\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-UjzUzfsbjxTMbVC9eXfjAi slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-hydrate=\"true\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__avatar-block\">\n<figure class=\"image-wrapped__wrapper\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"false\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__widthsetter\">\n<div class=\"image-wrapped__aspect-padding\">\n<div><source class=\"author__avatar image-wrapped__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ-140-80.jpg.webp 140w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5QLhaPay9asJvmaNsCjFVZ.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">Alasdair Fotheringham<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__social\">\n<nav class=\"button-social-group author__social-buttons\" aria-labelledby=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">\n<div id=\"button-social-group- author__social-buttons\">Social Links Navigation<\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"author__bio-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"author__biography\">\n<p>Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for <em>Cyclingnews<\/em>, he has also written for <em>The Independent<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>The Guardian<\/em>,\u00a0 <em>ProCycling<\/em>, <em>The Express<\/em> and <em>Reuters<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"mt-6 lg:px-0 relative max-w-[1070px] mx-auto viafoura-twig-component px-4\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class='vfcustom-community-guidelines'&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;community guidelines&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-join-the-conversation-text=\"Join the Conversation\">\n<div class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center z-50 bg-white\/90 border-1\">\n<div class=\"p-2 text-center\">\n<p class=\"mb-3 !text-lg\">You must confirm your public display name before commenting<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-3 !text-sm\">Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"mx-2 my-5 sm:mx-0\">\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-adviser:hybrid\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Read more<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Where do the Tour de France contenders stand after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico? Our first form ranking of 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro face off in major GC clash \u2013 Analysing the UAE Tour favourites<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Teams &amp; Riders<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">How Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s missed chance at landing a statement performance on brutal UAE Tour climb makes the next races more essential in his Tour de France build-up \u2013 Analysis<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-category\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Racing<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">UCI Gravel World Series: Nicole Frain best in three-rider women&#8217;s sprint while Jarno Bellens goes solo to win elite men&#8217;s race at Turnhout Gravel<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/UYBWnkk388X72MbP4jk9Ao-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Reflections from the men&#8217;s Milan-San Remo \u2013 Poga\u010dar overcomes the chaos, prefers focaccia to a 2027 return, McNulty&#8217;s work, and praise for Van der Poel and Pedersen<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/y5NqaEQ8iBfpdbTNzmKYvh-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Photo finish at Midwest Cycling Classic goes to Lonneke Uneken as Martina Alzini celebrates too early for a second time<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Zw6KFdF3qu2KZcMokptE7T-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;If you don&#8217;t take risk, it&#8217;s not topsport&#8217; \u2013 Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney gives injury update following Milan-San Remo Women crash<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/B62rpGhx285hCCaRditVRH-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">GP Jean-Pierre Monser\u00e9: Dylan Groenewegen blasts through final metres and denies breakaway for victory<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/MY9nBKorFiDikHC6qjfVBF-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">&#8216;She was the Plan A&#8217; \u2013 Defending champion Lorena Wiebes happy to play team role for SD Worx-Protime as Lotte Kopecky wins Milan-San Remo Women<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<aside class=\"w-full\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-stacked\">\n<div data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-solr:latest-articletype\">\n<div class=\"text-white py-4 px-3 mb-4 bg-[#333] uppercase font-bold custom-header-styles\">Latest in Previews<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 mt-4 mb-5\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bF4qY79KNbg9H54ddEqDJC-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">The Poga\u010dar followers, the fast finishers and the outsiders \u2013 Analysing the Milan-San Remo contenders<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Fj6uWzd7FSXK59oFjTcdDQ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Can the sprinters shut down a Poggio attack or will aggressors seize the day? &#8211; Analysing the favourites for the 2026 Milan-San Remo Women<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PV8zLPhtVqDkGVgeHo9ZiV-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Trofeo Alfredo Binda contenders \u2013 Will it be a repeat victor or a new protagonist celebrating in Cittiglio?<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-840-80.jpg.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-500-80.jpg.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-450-80.jpg.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Racing<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"aspect-[--img-listing-aspect-ratio,16\/9] relative mb-3.5\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-840-80.png.webp 840w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-500-80.png.webp 500w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-450-80.png.webp 450w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Sw7mtH7HJ9r4f59UnybQsm-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 900px) 925px, (min-width: 700px) 450px, calc(100vw - 48px)\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"custom-subheading-styles\">Women&#8217;s Cycling<\/span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block custom-text-styles\">Will Demi Vollering take a third win or can the powerful SD Worx-Protime and Visma-Lease a Bike duos stand in her way? \u2013\u00a0Analysing the favourites for Strade Bianche Women<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"relative recirc-feed sponsored-card min-h-[250px]\" data-recirc-id=\"article-river-stacked-ads:native-cards\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-river-ads\" data-nosnippet data-ad-slot-path=\"feed-sponsored-post\" data-attribute-device=\"all\">\n<div class=\"sponsored-post--placeholder max-w-full animate-pulse\"><span><span class=\"text-base text-black font-bold mx-0 my-2.5 p-0 block bg-gray-100\">\u00a0<br \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"widgetArea17\" class=\"widget-area md:basis-1\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-1-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-1-3 page-widget-area-17\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"dynamic\" id=\"popular-data\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-dynamic widget-popular-data widget-dynamic-popular-data widget-dynamic-fter-popular-box\">\n<div class=\"wdn-fte-pb pos-relative space-t20\n\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-popularBox\" class=\"slice-container popular-box-slice popularBox slice-container-popularBox\">\n<section data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"popular-box\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__label__tab popular-box__label__tab--active\" role=\"heading\">LATEST ARTICLES<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<ol class=\"popular-box__articles-list popular-box__articles-list--active\">\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__image-wrapper\">\n<div><source class=\"popular-box__article-list__image image__image\" type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-640-80.jpg.webp 640w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-720-80.jpg.webp 720w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w\" sizes=\"99vw\" data-normal=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT.jpg\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/aL2QXoTBuphSkq5tGVPvXT.jpg\" data-pin-nopin=\"true\" data-slice-image=\"true\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">1<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">UCI Gravel World Series: Nicole Frain best in three-rider women&#8217;s sprint while Jarno Bellens goes solo to win elite men&#8217;s race at Turnhout Gravel<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">2<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Former Tour de France runner-up and multiple Grand Tour champion Nairo Quintana announces retirement for end of season<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">3<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">4<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">&#8216;It&#8217;s time to win one again&#8217; \u2013 Remco Evenepoel escapes the Mount Teide snow to chase first WorldTour stage race win in three years at Volta a Catalunya<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"popular-box__article-list\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__container\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__content\">\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__number-text\">5<\/div>\n<div class=\"popular-box__article-list__heading\">Photo finish at Midwest Cycling Classic goes to Lonneke Uneken as Martina Alzini celebrates too early for a second time<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRacing\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRoad\n<\/li>\n<li>\nVolta a Catalunya\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Crunch time in the Pyrenees for Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock \u2013 Analysing the contenders for the 2026 Volta a Catalunya<\/h1>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n<div class=\"text-[13px]\"><span><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nAlasdair Fotheringham <\/span><span><br \/>\npublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-03-22T09:48:16Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n22 March 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">Still smarting from his recent setback in the UAE Tour mountains, Evenepoel now faces tougher rivals on a far harder course<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"mx-auto mb-4 flex items-center justify-start mx-0 my-5 p-0\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-700 mb-2 text-[12px] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-gray-700 [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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But whoever is ruling the stage racing roost, the Volta a Catalunya&#8217;s perennial role as the last major crossroads for those tackling the Giro d&#8217;Italia and those riders fully focussed on the Tour de France somehow endures.<\/p>\n<p>Ever since its last date change in 2010, this March, the seven-day 104-year-old race always offers the first big incursion of the season into the high-altitude Pyrenees, or any other major European mountain range, for that matter. This March, no less than three successive summit finishes on stages of increasing difficulty feature deep in the mountains separating the Iberian peninsula from France, combining to provide a painfully realistic reference point on their major climbing form for the Grand Tour specialists.<\/p>\n<p id=\"94309358-f158-40f0-ba4a-4a53c2182da0-2\">Of the three, the 4,000 metres of vertical climbing on stage 6, centred on a key Catalan cycling hub of Berga, was once described by now-retired mountains specialist Mike Woods to <em>Cyclingnews<\/em> in 2024 \u2013 before a stage with an identical route \u2013 as &#8220;one of the hardest I&#8217;ve ever seen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qEj5QjJVMZwR6LSkVbohCD-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">&#8216;A tough race full of challenges&#8217; \u2013 Jonas Vingegaard in high spirits as Volta a Catalunya marks another key stop on the road to the Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8nMks4GenFSmnUPtmevmDb-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Where do the Tour de France contenders stand after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico? Our first form ranking of 2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-250-80.png.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/CfbAUZvwiUvJsCkKxpmcGT-150-80.png.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Remco Evenepoel and Isaac del Toro face off in major GC clash \u2013 Analysing the UAE Tour favourites<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Certainly, nobody can be sure of victory before crossing the summit of the ultra-tough Coll del Pradell mid-stage next Saturday, on March 28, and maybe not even then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">With such a plethora of mountain climbing, coming fresh from his stand-out success at Paris-Nice, Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) will be using Catalunya as his last big test before the Giro d&#8217;Italia. Meanwhile, following his difficult time on the ascents of the UAE Tour back in February, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) badly needs to reconfirm that he has made new progress on his climbing, as he builds for a repeat assault on the Tour de France.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">After his first altitude training camp of the year, the ascents to Vallter and Pal in the Pyrenees will be a much more valid reference than what happened in the Middle East. for Evenepoel. Similarly, Vingegaard has confirmed that he&#8217;s curious to see how he performs against the much longer ascents of Catalunya compared to those of Paris-Nice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Yet if Vingegaard and Evenepoel&#8217;s clash brings together two of the highest-profile names in the peloton for the first time this season, they are far from being the only well-known racers in the race next week, many of whom have unfinished business with the Volta.<\/p>\n<p>Take Jo\u00e3o Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), for example, with an excellent track record in week-long stage races, but who&#8217;s never managed to crack Catalunya.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">In fact, it&#8217;s pretty much inevitable that in a race like Catalunya, which invariably draws a star cast, Almeida and co. are far from being the only stand-out names with an eventful personal history in the Volta. Not only that, the Volta points the way to the Giro and the Tour, then, with Mauro Gianetti, UAE CEO, saying recently to <em>Cyclism&#8217; actu<\/em> that &#8220;We&#8217;ll already see there some things in the Volta that will be similar to what happens in May.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s impossible to forget the Tour, either, and particularly this year. Stage 7 of the Volta, its usual curtain closer, ends on the same climbs through Montju\u00efc Park in central Barcelona that will see the Tour get underway on Saturday, July 4. So, a week next Sunday, as the green-and-white jersey of the Volta faces its final challenges, that time-honoured saying about &#8216;the road to the Tour starts here&#8217; will ring truer than ever.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\"><span class=\"\n            flex\n            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]\n            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]\n            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold\n        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"flex flex-col gap-0 m-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-1\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-1\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kKnnsxxy34Q4cUPK37kZRM-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Who will challenge Jonas Vingegaard at the Race to the Sun? Analysing the contenders for Paris-Nice<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ededed] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-2\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-2\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/HqLJ9oMRZLXPTfhxzyzE6m-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">How Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s missed chance at landing a statement performance on brutal UAE Tour climb makes the next races more essential in his Tour de France build-up \u2013 Analysis<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none border-b border-solid border-[#ccc] py-2\" data-recirculation-id=\"recirculation-card-3\" data-analytics-id=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"recirculation-2-inline-3\">\n    <source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-250-80.jpg.webp 250w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/sRmHwLdiSejpteYzzN9pcg-150-80.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"150px\" \/><span class=\"\n                            w-full font-article-heading line-clamp-3 md:line-clamp-2 text-base font-medium\">Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Isaac del Toro among the riders to watch at Tirreno-Adriatico<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Here is <em>Cyclingnews <\/em>&#8216; take on the wheels to follow out of Sant Feliu de Guixols next Monday lunchtime.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-jonas-vingegaard-visma-lease-a-bike\"><span>Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"7b1370c5-51c8-4c34-a15b-f1578f7b2d01\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WatzB4cwaKc9wm4aAepHLZ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Race leader Jonas Vingegaard on the last stage of Paris-Nice <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"f2edbb44-ff23-448f-b5ec-94e73d026b7c\">Strange but true: Jonas Vingegaard, one of the greatest stage racers of his generation, has never taken part in Catalunya before. The likelihood of the Dane not ever trying to take one of the few tough week-long races on the calendar that&#8217;s missing from his palmares was always small, though, even if with no time trial this year, it&#8217;ll all come down to Vingegaard&#8217;s level of prowess in the mountains.<\/p>\n<p>Vingegaard&#8217;s recent victory in Paris-Nice is a clear indication of how he&#8217;s firing on all cylinders, finishing the race with a stunning breakaway through the mountains overlooking Nice alongside stage victor Lenny Mart\u00ednez (Bahrain Victorious). A second major success in three weeks would even further consolidate his status as stand-out favourite for the Giro, and even a narrow defeat to a rider focusing on the Ardennes Classics, say, and therefore in slightly more finely honed form, would not feel like too much of a setback.<\/p>\n<p>Together with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Ineos, it&#8217;s worth noting that Visma have one of the most impressive lineups to back their team leader in Catalunya. US climbing giant Sepp Kuss is the stand-out name, but Bruno Armirail would likely be expected to play a key support role on the hillier stages, while former Giro d&#8217;Italia podium finisher Wilco Kelderman could also be crucial on the climbs.<\/p>\n<p>This is just as well, because given Vingegaard&#8217;s standout status as pre-race favourite \u2013 Evenepoel&#8217;s uneven climbing track record arguably precludes him from that position \u2013 ensure that his team will almost certainly be expected to keep the GC battle under control for the first three days. Then, come the long ascent to Vallter deep in the Pyrenees on stage 4, there will only be one rider that matters any more for Visma, and perhaps for the Volta too.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-remco-evenepoel-red-bull-bora-hansgrohe\"><span>Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"432bdfce-e6b8-431a-88c0-699b677b6e5e\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/XzHhqPUYyMHURMjMjcNBCJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Remco Evenepoel getting dropped during the UAE Tour <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"c5d8390b-390b-40fd-ba83-e2785b85f886\">Three years ago, the usual small army of Flemish and Walloon journalists that track Remco Evenepoel&#8217;s every move descended on Catalunya to follow his nailbitingly close battle against now Red Bull teammate Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d, which ended with six seconds between them at the finish in favour of the Slovenian. And now they are back again, for the same reason: Remco is back in Catalunya, and wherever Remco goes, it&#8217;s frontpage news in Belgium: even during the Classics high season like now.<\/p>\n<p>Pre-UAE Tour, interest in how Remco fares would already have been high, given the depth of the opposition, and how the toughness of the Volta&#8217;s Pyrenean challenges make them merciless judges of current climbing form. But after his dramatic failure to impact in the UAE&#8217;s grinding ascents of Jebel Hafeet and Jebel Mobrah following his faultless start in the preceding races, Catalunya is where Evenepoel does (or does not) get back on the right climbing track. Either way, everybody wants to watch.<\/p>\n<p>Speculation has been rife that at some point, Evenepoel might get closer to Vingegaard in the Tour or even overtake him for the right and honour to stand the nearest to Poga\u010dar, as absolute favourite, on the final podium. Catalunya is the first opportunity to prove he can do so, and given Vingegaard&#8217;s Grand Tour preparation is in theory (but maybe not in practice) four weeks in advance of Evenepoel&#8217;s, the duel will be an interesting one.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, it&#8217;s worth watching how Evenepoel works for the first time ever with his high-flying teammates Florian Lipowitz \u2013 who followed Evenepoel in third place in the Tour last July \u2013 and recent Paris-Nice podium finisher Dani Mart\u00ednez. Both the German and the Colombian have at least as much potential to shine in the Volta as their Belgian counterpart. The first Pyrenean summit finish of the Volta, to Vallter on Friday, will say a lot about their relative condition, the team&#8217;s internal pecking order for the race, and perhaps beyond.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-joao-almeida-uae-team-emirates-xrg\"><span>Jo\u00e3o Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"6eb74b04-e686-4933-96fd-a6b79e1342b3\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kUcSmCYgmfh24UwvAVBNoc-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Jo\u00e3o Almeida on the podium at the Volta ao Algarve <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"337d7388-229e-4c50-b8c7-8bdb989d5c43\">Until now in 2026, Jo\u00e3o Almeida has been the usual model of consistency in his results, with second in the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana predictably (but admirably) followed by third in the Volta ao Algarve. But the last-minute absence due to &#8216;flu&#8217; at Paris-Nice both marked another chapter of his ongoing war of words with Jonas Vingegaard about missing out on races (and adds a fresh layer of potential intrigue to their clash in Catalunya), and it was a first setback in 2026, too.<\/p>\n<p>The most successful week-long stage racer of 2025, even ahead of Poga\u010dar, Almeida&#8217;s palmares mean he is a rider who simply can&#8217;t be ruled out of the overall battle in Catalunya. He&#8217;s also the last rider to defeat Vingegaard in a summit finish, and in no ordinary summit finish either &#8211; the Angliru in the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a last year. So finding out what kind of Almeida we&#8217;ve got on our hands in the Volta is likely to be one of the first big questions to be resolved on stage 4 to Vallter. Will it be the rider whose climbing reached new heights in 2025, or will it be the racer looking to hit top form in the Giro (and then in the Vuelta, so late on in the season) for whom the Volta&#8217;s biggest climbs really come too a mite soon this year?<\/p>\n<p>The rollercoaster history of Almeida in the Volta complicates matters a bit more, too. His unremarkable ninth place last March came after working tooth and nail to defend then-teammate Juan Ayuso&#8217;s ambitions in his unsuccessful battle to keep Rogli\u010d at bay, so it can be discounted. However, his third place in the 2022 race was taken after a superb summit finish win in the Pyrenees, then falling foul in mysterious circumstances to a long-distance attack by Sergio Higuita (XDS-Astana) and Richie Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).<\/p>\n<p>Almeida&#8217;s Volta history tells us literally anything could happen. But in his first face-off against Vingegaard since the Vuelta last year, Almeida surely won&#8217;t want to lose an opportunity for sporting revenge against the man who beat him to what would have been his first Grand Tour, either.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-tom-pidcock-pinarello-q36-5\"><span>Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"f11228f9-1d30-4594-82e4-f03d5d55ed2f\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bW7D4BvT3TKVpATfQwobzJ-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Tom Pidcock raced to second place at Milan-San Remo <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"b201d14b-ee08-4042-8a10-d5c59662c5e9\">Talking of the Vuelta, Tom Pidcock&#8217;s presence in the Volta means that for the first time on Monday, all three podium finishers from the Spanish Grand Tour will be on the same start line of a race. And like former Vuelta winner Evenepoel, Pidcock will be using the Volta as another big test of his stage racing condition prior to a return to the Tour de France next July.<\/p>\n<p>Third in Madrid last September in the Vuelta represented a big step forward for the Briton, and his recent victory in Milan-Turin gave him some timely one-day success before beginning his Ardennes Classics campaign. The lack of a time trial won&#8217;t do his chances of GC success any harm at all in the Volta, yet his track record in poor weather conditions \u2013 see Omloop Het Nieuwsblad this February \u2013 doesn&#8217;t augur so well for a race where snow and freezing cold can very easily impact.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, having raced to a career-best second place at San Remo just two days before, the very fiddly transfer across to the Volta&#8217;s start at Sant Feliu de Guixols often takes its toll on riders should the race ignite early on.<\/p>\n<p>Like Vingegaard, Pidcock is new to Catalunya as well, but if the big climbs favour the Dane, the final stage through Montju\u00efc already looks more than ideal for a rider with such an explosive talent on short ascents like the park&#8217;s demanding final slopes. Quite what he&#8217;ll be able to do in the Pyrenean climbs that precede it, though, is rather harder to predict: so far out from the Tour, there are a lot of factors in play. But given this is Pidcock we&#8217;re talking about, the odds are that whatever he does, it&#8217;ll always be interesting.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-richard-carapaz-ef-education-easypost\"><span>Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"f7ec0ada-478f-4825-8551-ea58fcd0c2e1\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/NkAo3AUxUtLbanY3kHGL43-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Richard Carapaz talks to the media at Tirreno-Adriatico <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"330f18ba-f1e8-4159-92cd-a7e98de0cc4a\">Up until now this season, Richard Carapaz has been flying so far under the radar that he&#8217;s barely given an interview, still less been seen on television. But with the passing of time, you get the impression that&#8217;s exactly how the Ecuadorian likes it \u2013 because it means that when he does go on the attack, nobody&#8217;s seen it coming.<\/p>\n<p>The unpredictable but ultra-aggressive EF Education-Easy Post leader is yet another Giro d&#8217;Italia contender who&#8217;s using the Volta as his launchpad for May, and so far this year, in three races, an anonymous 18th place overall in Tirreno-Adriatico is his best result to date.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the thing about Carapaz is he knows exactly how to suddenly rise to the occasion and take the field by surprise \u2013 witness his spectacular long-distance move with Higuita in the Volta back in 2022, which upset the entire applecart in the race \u2013 and nobody is putting that possibility past him in Catalunya this year.<\/p>\n<p>After all, who could forget when he won from a spectacular late flyer last May in the Giro at Castelnovo ne&#8217; Monti, then went on to challenge Isaac del Toro for overall victory in a hugely entertaining battle on the Colle delle Finestre?<\/p>\n<p>Carapaz hasn&#8217;t actually won a WorldTour week-long race since the Tour de Suisse in 2021. Yet he&#8217;s got the rare gift of being able to win even when he&#8217;s not the strongest rider present, and he can read races like almost no other rider. Put all of this together, not to mention Carapaz&#8217;s long-established propensity for only going for the biggest races on the calendar, and you&#8217;ve got yourself another important 2026 Volta a Catalunya contender.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-ineos-grenadiers-carlos-rodriguez-oscar-onley\"><span> Ineos Grenadiers: Carlos Rodr\u00edguez, Oscar Onley<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"5b90d664-873c-4946-b804-4eddef544f0e\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LDgxvtteHX6z5hdaFTtcBe-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Oscar Onley is among the leaders at Ineos Grenadiers this week <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"c7d80407-6b42-43e4-8cd5-5dc091420870\">On paper, one of the three strongest teams of this year&#8217;s Volta, local fans still recollect the 2021 edition of the race when Adam Yates, Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte made Ineos Grenadiers the first squad to claim all three top spots on Catalunya&#8217;s podium in over 60 years. Times and riders and teams have moved on, but Ineos three top contenders all have reasons to hope to impact in Catalunya. Plus, when it comes to Ineos&#8217; 2026 campaign to prove they really can turn back the clock to their glory days of the 2010s, no amount of success is ever really enough.<\/p>\n<p>So far, it has to be said, things have been mostly hit but with a few notable misses: after a promising start to the season following a serious injury last year, Rodr\u00edguez&#8217;s very low-key participation in Paris-Nice was hampered by a crash in the first stage, after which he went into team helper mode.<\/p>\n<p>Egan Bernal shone brightly in the Colombian Nationals, and his seventh place in Faun Ard\u00e8che also augured well. But again, he&#8217;s been missing since then. He had been set to race Catalunya but still isn&#8217;t fit enough to return to action.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there&#8217;s Oscar Onley, part of the Ineos first major triumph of the season in the Paris-Nice TTT, only to fall ill and abandon.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Bernal and Rodr\u00edguez, who are both old hands at Catalunya, Onley has only participated in it once and to unremarkable effect, taking 39th place overall back in 2023. Essentially, the key question will be whether Onley has recovered from his Paris-Nice sickness to move directly into a team leader role, or if Rodr\u00edguez \u2013 assuming he&#8217;s fully over his crash \u2013 and Bernal could then step into the same spot.<\/p>\n<p>Realistically, a stage win and a podium spot seem like the best possible target for Ineos overall. But when it comes to teams with several very strong riders who aren&#8217;t quite at top contender level, oftentimes it&#8217;s how well they communicate and adapt to a single goal that really counts.<\/p>\n<p>Given their strength in depth, it&#8217;d be a surprise to see Ineos leave the race without shaking the tree at least in one of the three stages. Meanwhile don&#8217;t forget Bernal still has a score to settle with the last day&#8217;s racing in Montju\u00efc \u2013 it was there on a very greasy downhill that he crashed and broke his collarbone in 2018 \u2013 and his one win so far this year, back in Colombia in the Nationals&#8217; was on a very similar course with multiple repeats of a single, very tough climb. Just saying.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-matthew-riccitello-decathlon-cma-cgm\"><span>Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"4393daec-4308-41e4-94c2-7b067b677307\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/EvmmXB77ZT64cUZptm6Xmc-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Matthew Riccitello outpacing Carlos Rodr\u00edguez at the Tour de la Provence <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"4a240e1e-29dc-474c-ad7e-1dc0ecaaaa48\">A bit of an outlier? Perhaps, but after winning the Tour de la Provence, then getting sixth in the Volta ao Algarve, the 24-year-old from Tucson is part of a fast-rising new generation of young all-rounders and his climbing abilities. This year alone, beating the (slightly) older and much more WorldTour-hardened racer Carlos Rodr\u00edguez on a snow-covered summit finish formed the biggest foundation of his victory in Provence.<\/p>\n<p>And if Riccitello is good at performing in sub-zero temperatures in ice-enshrouded ski stations, there are always more than enough of those locations to choose from in the traditionally weather-blasted Volta.<\/p>\n<p>He&#8217;s also turned in one huge performance at the three-week level, too, in the 2025 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a, where he claimed fifth. But having got his Grand Tours success in progress already, now it&#8217;s time for him to step up a grade, if he can, in terms of consistency in bigger and harder World Tour week-long races.<\/p>\n<p>The Volta has always served as an ideal platform for that kind of breakthrough for young riders. To name but a few in recent years, Egan Bernal, Nairo Quintana (before he signed for Movistar and when he won the King of the Mountains with a small Colombian team) and Hugh Carthy, once Best Young Rider in the Volta, all shone brightly, very early in their careers, over several days in the roads of Catalunya before going on to greater things. This March could now be Riccitello&#8217;s moment to join their company.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-body__section\" id=\"section-derek-gee-west-lidl-trek\"><span>Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"1dc63def-8ca5-4098-ae20-89ec62a24963\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jfNNq4kvw4Rb9BiR7rjTF6-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Derek Gee-West in action at the UAE Tour <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"ab23f004-5a2d-4d6a-96c9-6889ed80e3d1\">Lidl-Trek must be thanking their lucky stars they opted to sign Derek Gee-West at the last minute last year. It&#8217;s not only because the Canadian National Champion finished seventh overall in the recent UAE Tour, which bodes well in terms of his early-season form and suggests he&#8217;s integrating well in his new squad.<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, given the miserable luck currently being suffered by several of the Lidl-Trek team leaders \u2013 Juan Ayuso, Jonathan Milan and Matthias Skjelmose are all in the sick bay right now, while Mads Pedersen made it back to race Milan-San Remo \u2013 Gee-West looks like one of their best options for stand-out success next week.<\/p>\n<p>A debut participant in the Volta and aiming for the Giro d&#8217;Italia, the 28-year-old has an excellent track record of top-five finishes in week-long stage races since his breakthrough podium in the Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9 back in 2024. A fourth place in Tirreno-Adriatico last year and a win overall in the tough, relatively new ultra-hilly Spanish stage race, O Gran Cami\u00f1o, both bode well.<\/p>\n<p>But above all, Gee-West will be looking to see how closely he&#8217;s approaching the form he had when he got a surprising fourth overall in the Giro d&#8217;Italia last year. Just as for everybody, for Gee-West, there&#8217;s more than a whiff of the Grand Tours about how he fares in the Volta a Catalunya this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/racing\/crunch-time-in-the-pyrenees-for-jonas-vingegaard-remco-evenepoel-and-tom-pidcock-analysing-the-contenders-for-the-2026-volta-a-catalunya\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tdMM9USiVzeJJ9QkhvYSBE-1024-80.jpg&#8221;] Pro Cycling Racing Road Volta a Catalunya Crunch time in the Pyrenees for Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Tom Pidcock \u2013 Analysing the contenders for the 2026 Volta a Catalunya By Alasdair Fotheringham published 22 March 2026 Still smarting from his recent setback in the UAE Tour mountains, Evenepoel now faces tougher [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,68],"class_list":["post-1840914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-cyclingnews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1840914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1840914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1840914\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1840914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1840914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1840914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}