“We all know Roglic is an incredible rider" - Laurens de Plus in awe of Volta a Catalunya winner
Cycling
Laurens De Plus came close to a stage win on the final day
of the Volta a Catalunya, capping a strong overall performance from INEOS
Grenadiers. The Belgian launched a bold solo attack on the final climb and held
off the chasers to take second place on the stage, just behind Primoz Roglic,
who sealed both the stage victory and overall general classification title.
De Plus crossed the line ahead of Lennert Van Eetvelt, who
finished third on the day, while Egan Bernal’s consistent riding throughout the
week was rewarded with a seventh-place finish overall. Axel Laurance also
impressed with a top-10 result in the final sprint, taking ninth place to
underline the team’s depth across the week.
Reflecting on the effort, De Plus admitted the intensity of
the short final stage had taken him by surprise.
“It was super, super hard. It’s pretty special to have a two-hour stage – we’re
used to having longer stages – but I was in a good position on the last climb
and I felt like ‘why not?’ I just squeezed and suddenly I was off the front. I
ended up seeing Roglic almost, so I was surprised by that.”
Despite falling just short of the win, De Plus was full of
praise for Roglic and proud of his own effort.
“We all know Roglic is an incredible rider so I’m not surprised. Congrats to
him. You always hope [for the stage win] but I was on my limit and Van Eetvelt
did most of the work, so I was already happy to go for second place. I’m super
happy with that, so I can end this week with a good feeling.”
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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