It almost feels like we've been having "too much cycling" but let me tell you I can't get tired of it, and after a month of constant quality racing from cobbled classics to bunch sprints to GC fight to epic solo wins, it won't stop soon and already tomorrow we're back at it with another World Tour stage-race, this time in Spain that's finally seeing it's racing back after the month of February saw Spain heavily affected in terms of calendar.
The Route
Breakaway territory, the classic starting loop around Calella, a sprint finish however isn't impossible.
Stage 2 is an individual time-trial and I must say I love it, the organizers changed this year and for the best. 18.5Km, will force the climbers into having to attack the mountains hard, and the TT itself is very interesting with several bumps.
Vallter 2000, first summit finish.
Queen stage to Port Ainé, proper hard and I expect a whole lot of spectacle in the Pyrinees.
A different kind of effort, can it make a difference? Surely this stage will see some attacks, but it also looks like a textbook breakaway stage.
This is what I call the sprinter stage of the race. It's far from pan-flat, but it's decently flat to be able to have a bunch sprint as long as the interested teams can prevent a strong group from getting up the road.
The final classic stage with the Montjuic circuit, BUT, this time the organizers did the right thing and have created a lap containing a harder version of the climb, with a proper hard ramp suited for attacks. The GC will be inplay until the final stage much more this year.
Weather for the Week
The temperatures look like they be nice throughout the week, another reason why a lot of riders like this race. On the mountaintop finishes it'll be cold as usual, but too early to say anything meaningful.
GC Contenders
Catalunya is known for it's scenic roads, warm weather, and beautiful mountains, so it's no surprise that it's home for plenty of professional riders specially in the town of Girona. With no doubt this feels like a home race for plenty of riders coming in, and with a combination of mountainous and hilly stages every year the startlist is jam packed with many of the world's best stage racers and this year is no exception! Last year there was no race and the last winner Miguel Angel Lopez isn't present, the team to beat should at the start be Ineos who come with a stacked squad with no sole leader but 4 riders who can contest for the win. Richard Carapaz will start his season here and I wouldn't be surprised to see him already in the battle seeing his quality, the team may give more confidence to Adam Yates though who has shown brilliant form this season in UAE, but also Geraint Thomas can have a very important role as his form is rising and he's shown decent legs in Tirreno. Additionally Richie Porte is coming in, his role unsure, but he's coming to get his planned racing days back after he crashed out of Paris-Nice. Their main rivals come in the form of teams who have galso got lots of options like Jumbo-Visma who bring in a strong trio of Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss and George Bennett. The Dutch should lead as he's the one who's got a stronger TT, however the team can afford to go crazy on the mountains.
You've got some riders who will love the TT and get to the mountains with some advantage like João Almeida who is a very dangerous rider as he's got some brilliant climbing skills and... Well actually there isn't specifically anyone else who thrives on TT's which means we'll have a very balanced field. Some riders like Hugh Carthy and Rigoberto Uran leading EF, Wout Poels and BikeExchange duo Simon Yates and Lucas Hamilton should come out with positive results from it though. Possibly, despite his recent serious accident, I will mention Wilco Kelderman as he is one who in paper would really benefit from it. UAE bring in a strong team very well suited for stage wins, regarding the overall Brandon McNulty and David De la Cruz will both be looking at it although Marc Hirschi can perhaps get in there aswell if he brings in great form from his off-season.
Of those who will suffer, and just hope not to leave too far from the lead (excluding Bennett/Kuss) will be men like the Israel leading duo Michael Woods and Daniel Martin, although the team is also bringing over Chris Froome who will be interesting to watch during the race as he looks to build form. Jai Hindley of DSM, Giulio Ciccone and Gianluca Brambilla for Trek, Clément Champoussin for AG2R, Sebastien Reichenbach for Groupama and Ilnur Zakarin are also riders who will likely have a less good day in it, and will have to be on the fight to recover from it.
Furthermore there are several more wildcards like Nairo Quintana who's got a win here in the past and finds a well suited race, although the TT won't benefit him much, the Movistar trio who should be lead by Marc Soler, Enric Mas is a quality rider but I believe he doesn't yet have the form and is planning his goals late on the season, and Alejandro Valverde who isn't anymore at his very best but brings in very important experience and a possibility to take home a stage or two home if he finds the chance.
The Sprinters
The list of sprinters is not very fancy as expected with a single stage well suited to the fast men, but it's a World Tour win on the line and some riders will be eyeing that stage specifically, aswell as possibly the opening stage which can perhaps have a sprint finish aswell if there's the intention to bring things back. Peter Sagan showed very low form in Tirreno but he turned it around with a great 4th place in Milano-Sanremo, he's coming in to get some more race pass for the next couple monuments but he may also be targeting more with this most recent result, and having Jordi Meeus in the team aswell Bora will surely be looking to control the easier stages, and UAE bring in Juan Sebastian Molano who's back to Europe and will have a good chance to take a needed stage win. I wouldn't say there are more pure sprinters in the startlist, the remaining fast men climb really well hence why I suggest a couple sprint finishes are posssible, AG2R have Clement Venturini who has a great chance of a great victory here and a team at his disposal, we have Reinardt Janse van Rensburg for Qhubeka and Juan Jose Lobato for Euskaltel - Euskadi. With the level low it may also present an opportunity for some lesser known names to be up there which is always interesting.
Prediction Time
⭐ Kuss, Uran, Hamilton, McNulty, Hirschi, Woods, Hindley, Ciccone, Soler
I think Richard Carapaz will manage to win the overall in his opening race of the season. Ineos have plenty options, I think they'll use that to their advantage and the Equatorian will be the strongest in the mountains.
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