Ethan Vernon glory as Kaden Groves struggles in “strange sprint” on Volta a Catalunya stage 2
Cycling
British success continued at the Volta a Catalunya as Ethan
Vernon powered to victory on stage 2, making it back-to-back wins for the UK
after Ethan Hayter’s triumph on the opening day.
“It wasn’t an easy day,” Vernon said after crossing the line
first. “Lidl-Trek and some other teams were riding hard up the climbs. I
suffered a bit there, but I was able to come back, thanks to my teammate Itamar
Einhorn. He got me back in good shape. Nick Schultz, Corbin Strong and George
Bennett were fantastic in the last kilometres.”
The tight finish was made even more intense by a strong
tailwind, which turned the final sprint into a high-speed affair. “We had the
momentum with two kilometres to go. We had a full train and set it up
perfectly. At the end it was very chaotic. I think we were going at eighty kilometres
per hour at the end. With the tailwind it went very fast, but that suits me,”
Vernon added.
While Vernon and his teammates executed a near-flawless
finish, Kaden Groves found himself on the wrong side of the sprint. Still
recovering from the weekend’s grueling Milano-Sanremo, the Australian admitted
he struggled to get his timing right.
“We came a bit too early, I think,” Groves told Eurosport.
“The high speed in particular allowed the guys to come from the back. I had a
pretty good day, but I went too early and then my legs filled up.”
Reflecting on the final, he added: “It was a strange sprint.
Normally you can start your sprint a bit earlier here, because the finish line
comes quickly. But yes, it is what it is. I have a bit of mixed feelings about
today.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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