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PREVIEW | Volta a Catalunya 2024 stage 2 - Tadej Pogacar looking for revenge at Vallter 2000 summit finish
CyclingTuesday, 19 March 2024 at 13:36
Tadej Pogacar missed out on the victory on the opening day of the Volta a Catalunya however he will once again be the main favourite to stage 2. The summit finish at Vallter 2000 will set big differences in the overall classification.
The second stage goes from the Mediterranean sea right into the heart of the Pyrenees. The first kilometers of the stage are literally by the sea; the peloton then heads through Girona and slowly climb inland and into the base of the climb that will decide the day.
Stage 2: Mataró - Vallter 2000, 186.5 kilometers
An ascent summits with 47.6 kilometers to go, it is 10 kilometers long at 5.4%. It does not have a real descent afterwards, just a tiny one and then a continuous false-flat rise into Setcases. There the riders find the base of Vallter 2000, a climb that summits at 2146 meters of altitude. A climb that is relatively constant, it's the mix of all variables that makes it a difficult challenge - also as it will be the first real climb of the race.
It is 12.5 kilometers long at 7.3%, featuring a few switchbacks at first, and then plenty in the final two kilometers to go. There are gradients of over 10% in the first two halves. The ascent isn't as steep towards it's end but it is still meaningful and is hard enough to create differences.
Vallter 2000: 12.5Km; 7.3%
The Weather
Map Volta a Catalunya 2024 stage 2
No wind but the riders are expected to find some rough weather conditions. No major downhills so this shouldn't make much of a difference, nevertheless it is likely that going up the final climb the peloton may encounter some rain showers.
The Favourites
Tadej Pogacar - The man to beat, once again. He was the strongest today, but he was outsmarted by a very strong Israel. In a stage like this it's very hard to outsmart someone however. If UAE tried to control the race today with such intensity, we can expect the same tomorrow as the Slovenian seeks a stage win. He should be the strongest uphill and sprinter among the favourites, with a very strong team behind him I don't see how he can be beaten.
Visma - Visma have three cards on the table. A long and high altitude ascent will fit Sepp Kuss, but I cannot discard Cian Uijtdebroeks from doing great performances here as he's specifically talked about Catalunya being an ideal race for him. It will be a key test ahead of his Giro d'Italia debut. Lastly Attila Valter can also do quite well I recon, I believe none of the three riders enter the day with domestique duties - these MAY only be decide during the race, but most likely for now they will all have free card as the team does not have the responsibility to work.
Quick-Step - Quick-Step have a very interesting team. Mikel Landa is a rider who on his best form can be on the podium here without a shadow of a doubt, but he's not the only one. Ilan van Wilder has proven several times to have great climbing legs, but the team also has William Lecerf Junior who is a very dangerous wildcard specially in the race's first summit finish. Expect the Quick-Step men to be upfront despite the lack of Evenepoel here.
The likes of Egan Bernal and Damiano Caruso are uncertainties following their crashes today, and other riders such as Simon Yates, Hugh Carthy, Louis Meintjes and Wout Poels lost time today and hence are big wildcards, possibly away from their best form. INEOS have Geraint Thomas and Laurens de Plus who can also be up towards the front, whilst Bahrain also cards in Jack Haig and Antonio Tiberi.
However I would put my cards more on riders such as Lenny Martínez and Aleksandr Vlasov who have shown great form over the past few weeks and should do quite well uphill. This is the first mountain stage and very much a day of discovery for the big GC favourites... With Pogacar also at the start, I don't expect anyone taking too many risks.
Race leader Nick Schultz himself is a good climber and clearly in form, will be interesting to see how he goes - alongside Michael Woods who may provide support. Movistar have Enric Mas, Nairo Quintana and Einer Rubio in play, whilst Harold Tejada, Guillaume Martin, Esteban Chaves, Cristián Rodríguez and Carlos Verona are all outsiders for a result as well.
Prediction Volta a Catalunya 2024 stage 2:
*** Tadej Pogacar
** Lenny Martínez, Aleksandr Vlasov, Sepp Kuss
* Mikel Landa, Ilan van Wilder, Egan Bernal, Michael Woods, Enric Mas, Harold Tejada, João Almeida, Esteban Chaves, Simon Yates
Pick: Tadej Pogacar
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