Profiles & Route Volta a Catalunya 2024

The Volta a Catalunya is scheduled from March 18th to 24th. This Spanish stage race consistently attracts many of the world's top climbers, and this year's edition promises to be no different with a spectacular route on offer. Let's take a closer look at the stage profiles.

The seven-day race begins once again in Sant Feliu de Guíxols where some sprinters and puncheurs will fight for victory in the same uphill finish as the past two years - one unfortunately known for being the location of Sonny Colbrelli's heart failure, last year's a thrilling sprint between Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel. The stage features a few ascents early in the day where a strong breakaway can be formed.

With 20 kilometers summits a small climb that is 8 kilometers long at 4%. It is not a day for the sprinters as not only does this climb put some damage in the peloton, but the following descent and run-up to the finish is very fast, punchy and technical. Another small hilltop ends with 7.8 kilometers to go, and then most of the way into town is a very fast and twisty descent.

The final 750 meters then have a 5% gradient. It is not nothing, sprinters will certainly arrive here but this is an effort of over a minute that can be all-out from bottom to top. A sprint is almost certain but some riders will not have the legs, whilst some puncheurs and climbers may surprise because they will be better capable of putting in an actual sprint.

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.

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.

The third day of racing in Catalunya is quite hard and it goes through some ascents that are familiar to those that have already spent time in Catalunya. A flat start, but then the peloton heads towards the first difficult climb, the Port de Toses which is, towards it's summit, 3.7 kilometers at 9%.

it's a slow rise until that time, and the climb goes up to almost 1800 meters of altitude. What follows is a very long and downhill valley run that will take the riders into the next ascent. This will be a longer one, very inconsistent one, but ultimately also a warm-up in the big picture of the day. The second climb of the day is the Port del Cantó which is 24-7 kilometers at 4.4%. The start of the ascent is the hardest section, and it's another ascent going above 1700 meters of altitude, with the top at 43 kilometers to go.

A descent follows and then the riders go into Port Ainé. This is a tough old climb. A traditional in the race, it features both distance and gradients. A climb with several direction changes, it is over 18 kilometers in length averaging 6.5%. It is also relatively inconsistent, following much steeper gradients right at the base but specially in the final kilometers. At almost 2000 meters of altitude, it is another summit finish where this can be a factor in play.

Stage 4 into Lleida should be the only regular bunch sprint. A day that is overall not too hard honestly, it has an overall downhill profile, starting at over 700 meters of altitude and finishing close to sea level. Hence we can expect a fast day, only with a small climb in the first half as an obstacle.

The riders head into Lleida, after 169 kilometers. It is a regular bunch sprint into the city center, which will not be overly technical. It should be a furious and fast finale, with a right-hander with 1.8 kilometers to go, and a series of roundabout set to stretch the peloton right after. The final kilometer will have nothing to note however and there will still be time to reorganize before the sprint to the line.

The 167-kilometer stage is hilly and will be a day that suits breakaways quite well. Catalunya is known for the roads that suit this type of racing, and plenty riders can succeed from a day like this. A sprint could also decide the day, but it is complicated. This is because the opening hour of racing will be quite explosive and rolling.

A climb of 7.5 kilometers at over 4% will be in the first half of the day, with a few rolling roads and descent following. This will all be before the final combination of climbs which could decide the day. A small hilltop will come before the Alt de la Creu d'Aragall. The climb is 6.5 kilometers at 6% and summits with 29 kilometers to go. It is close enough that it can decide the day, as an equally long descent follows.

The final 15 kilometers then will be pan-flat, and a sprint could happen at the end of these. Into Viladecans the roads will be suited to a chase, and then over the final kilometers there will be a few small obstacles that can stretch out the peloton. Ultimately, the final kilometer is straightforward - although the riders go through a slight roundabout with around 300 meters to go - and should be a regular finale.

Stage 6 has a summit finish at Queralt, which comes in a day with six categorized climbs including a special category halfway through the day. A new challenge that should seal the overall classification in what is a short day of racing. However, despite having only 154 kilometers in distance, there are a whole 4000 meters of climbing.

Early in the day they are not too hard, they are slight ascents that are rather inconsistent, featuring false-flat roads and some slight ascents where groups can go up the road. However there won't be too much relaxing time. The descent off the second one leads directly into the brutal Coll de Pradell.

This climb is brutal. 14.7 kilometers at 6.9%, it's one of two halves. The first 7 kilometers are at a constant 5-6%, then there is a small descent even, and then the final 6 kilometers which average 10% average. In here, the grades go up to a crazy 18% and it's not a short ramp. This ascent is the hardest of the race and could blow the entire race apart, ending with 60 kilometers to go.

A long descent follows - with a small hilltop in the middle which leads into climb number four of the day - when it comes to the categorized ones. It's 4.9 kilometers at 8.8% which ends with 27 kilometers to go. Another very hard climb where attacks can happen, however it is possible that some riders will still wait for the final one.

After a set of rolling roads the riders return to Berga but head into the Santuario de Queralt. It is not the hardest climb of the day, but after so much fatigue it can still make serious differences. 6 kilometers at 7.3%, it will be a proper and scenic finale to a brutal day of racing.

The final day, the traditional circuit in Barcelona. Regularly, a day for a breakaway, however many scenarios can decide such a day. There are only 145 kilometers to be ridden, as the riders leave Barcelona and face some rolling roads where the breakaway will be established.

The race is to be decided in the final circuit though. Six laps over the Alto de Montjuic, it’s a tough circuit, which usually benefits early attackers as there is almost no flat within it’s 8 kilometers. The descent off the Montjuic is very fast and allows riders to take a rest after every ascent.

Ascent which is 2.4 kilometers at 4.7%, however the gradient is very misleading as it includes a flat section. The true hilltop is quite explosive, it has 900 meters at 10% which is enough to create damage in the peloton, and also splits that may prove crucial for the overall classification. In the final lap, it will come only 5 kilometers away from the summit, all of them downhill except for a small uphill pitch next to the city’s Olympic stadium, 2 kilometers away from the finish.