As it happened: Experienced Dane is the fastest to the line on stage 2 of Volta a Catalunya 2026
Magnus Cort outpaced Noa Isidore and Francesco Busatto to take the win
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Race situation
It came down to a sprint with Cort being the fastest to the line
Hola and welcome to Cyclingnews' live report of stage 2 at the Volta a Catalunya 2026
Stage 1 was a rapid day in the saddle with only the strongest riders able to compete at the finish with French champion, Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), managing to hold off Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) to take the stage with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) rounding off the podium.
Stage 2 is a similar day, only the big climb comes much later in the day. It isn't categorised, but that doesn't mean it isn't hard. A 167.4km day from Figueres to Banyoles with 2108 metres of elevation gain. It is a difficult stage to call.
Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) had a superb start to his race for the GC title here in Catalonia with a very strong third place, even after having to launch his sprint very early. He is feeling the distance of Milan-San Remo, but is looking forward to the week ahead...
Of course, you will also likely want to watch the racing, here is our how to watch for this year's Volta a Catalunya...
>>> How to watch Volta a Catalunya 2026 – Live streams, TV coverage
Sign on is well underway with the race leader, Godon, taking in the limelight.
Journalists on the ground are very keen to speak to the top two from yesterday. Will Godon and Evenepoel swap jerseys after today's stage?
Jerseys:
The riders have started the neutralised zone for today's stage.
The riders are due to start at 13:10 local time.
The neutral is longer than yesterday's with 6.8km of steady riding before racing begins.
Today's stage features 2108 metres of elevation gain.
We're underway
The start was slightly delayed due to a couple of issues for Ben O'Connor (Jayco-AlUla) and an Ineos Grenadiers rider. Fortunately, all are back riding and racing is underway.
Veistroffer dominated the breakaway yesterday by taking all the KOMs and intermediate sprints as well as the green number as most combative rider, despite not being the last one caught. He rides in the white and red mountains jersey today.
The gap quickly grows to over two minutes.
The first test of the day is the Alt del Purgatori, 1.7km long climb with an average gradient of 5% and a max kick of 15%. They are just 10km from cresting it. It is the only KOM points up for grabs today.
The gap seems to have stabilised at two minutes and 15 seconds between the break and the peloton.
It is another beautiful day for the riders to race in with blue sky and sunshine. Plus, amazing views of the mountains of the Pyrenees. Not that the riders will be able to appreciate them on the bike today.
Just 1km to the summit of the Alt del Purgatori for the breakaway.
The gap is stuck at two minutes and 15 seconds, it drifted to two minutes and 20 seconds but has dropped down again.
Ineos Grenadiers are keen to keep the tempo high in the peloton yet again. Godon must be feeling amazing after yesterday and his performances at Paris-Nice.
Mechanical for Uriarte in the breakaway.
Uriarte returns to the break with the gap coming down back to the peloton to two minutes and 10 seconds.
20km to the first of three intermediate sprints, the first takes place in Peralada.
The temperature is a very pleasant 21 degrees with no wind and not many clouds at all.
Bahrain Victorious join Ineos Grenadiers on the front of the peloton for the second day in a row with Lenny Martinez on very good form.
The riders now begin a very long but very gradual descent to just before the halfway point on the stage.
Over an hour of racing done and the average speed it at 41.1kph.
The best placed rider in the breakaway is Arriola-Bengoa at one minute and 35 seconds off Godon.
10km to the intermediate sprint in Peralada. Thee, two and one points and bonus seconds available.
The gap dips under two minutes for the first time as the peloton tighten their grip on the stage.
5km to Peralada.
Veistroffer still dominating absolutely everything.
The peloton appear to be letting the gap go a bit with the break getting their largest gap of the day with over 80km in the legs. They now have two minutes and 25 seconds.
Halfway through the stage and the breakaway has extended it's advantage to two minutes and 35 seconds with NSN, Ineos Grenadiers and Bahrain Victorious leading the peloton.
A reminder of the day's breakaway:
The next intermediate sprint is coming in about 15km and will take place in Besalú.
Over two hours into the day and the average speed is at 43.6kph, they are flying along!
10km to the intermediate sprint in Besalú.
A few of the big contenders coming back from nature breaks with Vingegaard, Almeida and Evenepoel all getting back into the pack.
60km to go
3km to the intermediate sprint in Besalú with the break holding a gap of two minutes 54 seconds.
The peloton are absolutely hammering the pace but the break are doing a great job of holding them at bay.
All the intermediate sprints and the KOM sprint have seen the same top three every time.
Veistroffer has now vaulted Godon in the points classification after that last intermediate sprint by two points. He has 12 points to Godon's 10.
The road starts looking a bit more mountainous from now on with 20km to the third and final intermediate sprint in Olot.
Besalú looks very nice!
50km to go
EF Education-EasyPost join the pacing in the peloton as they work for Noah Hobbs, NSN working for Ethan Vernon, Ineos Grenadiers for Dodon and Bahrain Victorious likely working for Matevž Govekar.
Arriola-Bengoa and Fernandez are dropped.
Veistroffer and Uriarte are back with Slock.
Fernandez and Arriola-Bengoa are 20 seconds back on the leading trio.
Soudal-QuickStep put a rider into the train at the front of the peloton as well. They have Alberto Dainese and Andrea Raccagni Noviero with the latter finishing seventh, yesterday.
Fernandez and Arriola-Bengoa are caught by the peloton.
Sam Bennett (Pinarello-Q36.5) helps Pidcock back in after a nature break but, unfortunately, Bennett's legs say no more and he drops out of the back and is all over the bike.
The gap drops back down to two minutes and 10 seconds.
Three hours in and the average speed in 43.9kph. This is a rapid day!
The leading trio has two minutes on the peloton with 1km to the final intermediate sprint of the day in Olot.
Veistroffer takes every single intermediate sprint and KOM sprint for the second day in a row. He is also five points ahead of Godon in the points classification.
However, if Godon wins or finishes second today he will go back into the lead.
In about 5km the riders will start a rapid descent that is interrupted by a couple of kickers but it almost entirely downhill to the finish town of Banyoles before kicking up to the line.
Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost) and Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) right at the back of the peloton, at the moment.
Abandon from Riley Pickrell (MAP).
Veistroffer comes back on the descent and they are really pushing hard.
Just one minute and 20 seconds between the trio out front and the peloton which has multiple teams on the front battling for dominance including Lidl-trek, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Pinarello-Q36.5, Visma-Lease a Bike and more.
The break still have a minute and 11 seconds over the peloton led by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, NSN, Visma-Lease a Bike and Ineos Grenadiers on this technical descent.
Veistroffer now working flat out for Slock to try and take a surprise win.
Steinhauser is struggling at the back of the peloton. Perhaps he's developed an illness after taking third at a very unpleasant Paris-Nice.
Another rider on his way back to racing, like Bennett, is Filippo Baroncini (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and he goes out the back after doing his job.
NSN are going all in on this descent to try and bring this leading duo back and the gap does dip under a minute with 16km to go.
Lotto-Intermarche have a rider trying to disturb the chase in the peloton but multiple teams come up and bully him out. Slock and Veistroffer have 44 seconds with 12km to go.
Three and a half hours ridden with the average speed at 44.3kph.
There has been a split in the bunch due to the crash of Uhlig with about 30 or so riders caught out.
It looks like Uhlig has abandoned after hitting the deck
The peloton has split far more than first thought with about 80 riders missing from the lead part of the bunch with Jayco-AlUla leading the chase.
Uhlig confirmed to have abandoned.
Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is out the back and is trying to use a kicker to bridge back across to the peloton.
Lipowitz flies across the gap with several others and that has stitched the peloton back together once again. EF Education-EasyPost and Ineos Grenadiers lead with 7km to go and the gap is just 14 seconds up to Slock and Veistroffer.
6km to go and now it is down hill all the way to Banyoles before the final kick to the line.
George Bennett has been key to bringing the time gap right down to the leaders.
Slock goes solo after Veistroffer gave him absolutely everything.
3km to go. Veistroffer is caught with Slock holding seven seconds with the peloton now being led by Visma-Lease a Bike.
Into the final 2km with Slock looking back which will stall his progress slightly. Visma-Lease a Bike breaking his heart.
Soudal-QuickStep take over the pacing for Dainese.
Alpecin-Premier Tech, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Uno-X Mobility and XDS-Astana battling for the front.
500 metres to go
Magnus Cort sprints to victory on stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya 2026!
Two stages done, two stages won by blonde moustachioed riders.
Make sure to read our post race report in the link below...
After the stage, Cort said: "It was a difficult stage. Coming down from Olot, there was a lot of fighting for positions on the downhill. I didn't like it too much, so I was a bit far back," Cort said after the stage.
"The team kept believing in me, and I don't know how they succeeded, but Anders Skaarseth piloted me from the last position to first between 3km and 1.5km to go. Then I had Anton to deliver the last bit. It was amazing – really good teamwork.
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