The triple winner of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and the great benchmark of Spanish cycling in recent times, Alejandro Valverde, left a vacancy after his retirement in races such as the Catalan, one of his favoriteswhich in this edition saw how no Spanish cyclist was among the candidates for the final victory.
In addition, the three cyclists scheduled to fill his gap are also absent from this Volta, which started on Monday in the Costa Brava. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates), classified fifth in 2022, and Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS) did not participate. due to physical problems, while Enric Mas (Movistar) is not on his calendar.
But this does not mean that there are no name levels so that some Spanish cyclists can fight for a victory on the stage. in the high mountains starting this Tuesday in the Vallter ski resort (Girona) and even to try to enter the final podium.
Mikel Landa’s is one of them (Bahrain Victorious), who has not ridden the Volta since 2017 and was third overall in last year’s Giro d’Italia.
“Stellar participation raises everyone’s demand level. Very nice course and hopefully a good race“, Landa explained to the media after the signature control.
In addition, when asked which of the three summit finishes of this Volta he could do better, the cyclist from Murgia admitted that his favorite “is the one at Lo Port”, the finish of the fifth stage.
Landa returned to the Volta with a calmer start to the season than usual for him because this year he will not participate in the Giro. “I will be able to dedicate myself to other races that I wanted to compete in,” he said.
Another name to consider in the Spanish peloton is Catalan Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), third in the 2017 Volta.
“My challenge is to give my best, to see where I am and help my teammates”, he explained before starting the second stage in Mataró (Barcelona).
His freedom in this Volta was seen to be favored by the fall in the first stage of Adam Yates, one of the leaders of the UAE Team Emirates, which led him to reach more than 10 minutes behind Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel.
“I see myself with the legs to try to hold as much as possible on today’s climb to the Vallter and then see what happens,” said the man from Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Carlos Verona leads this Movistar Volta, which has been the team of Alejandro Valverde. “We don’t have such a clear leader, but we have strong people,” said the 30-year-old cyclist.
And, in this sense, he added: “It would be a surprise if Roglic or Evenepoel did not win the Volta, but not too much. There is a high level in this Volta.”
And there are still more names that can bring joy to Spanish cycling on Catalan roads. David de la Cruz (Astana), who on Thursday will enjoy the arrival of the Volta in his hometown, Sabadell (Girona), explained “that the first differences can be seen in Vallter” and that he hopes “to be in the front group. and there are options to be a good general”.
In any case, he admitted that he was more attracted to the end of the stage this Wednesday, in the ski resort of La Molina (Girona). “Vallter is a port that always gives me a lot of respect, it’s incredibly tough, more than it seems on the profile,” he explained.
“I expect a fast climb to the Vallter, there will be a tailwind and the Jumbo-Visma will set a high speed from the start”, he added.
Among the cyclists in the event, there are 10 Catalans playing at home. In addition to the aforementioned Marc Soler and David de la Cruz, another one of them is Marc Brustenga (Trek-Segafredo), from Santa Eulàlia de Ronçana.
Brustenga studied and practiced the uphill arrival yesterday in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (Girona), perfect for its characteristics. But he ended up in the second group, 10 seconds behind the first, due to a cut that occurred five kilometers from the finish line due to multiple falls.
“I got to the well of this Volta, although last week I ran some classics and I fell,” he explained.
This is his second participation in La Volta. “I learned a lot in the first and throughout my first year as a professional. I think I’m going to enjoy more this edition”, said Brustenga.
Looks like the audience will go too. At least, that’s the feeling behind the self-confidence Roglic and Evenepoel showed on day one.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
