Stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya brings the race from Canal Olímpic de Catalunya to the summit finish at Vallter 2000. The neutralised start is at 11.35 CET, with the peloton scheduled to hit kilometre zero at 11.45.
The Canal Olímpic de Catalunya, constructed for the sprint canoe events at the 1992 Olympics, is just outside Castelldefels. After a flat start, the road begins to climb very, very gradually as the peloton makes its long way north towards the Pyrenean ski resort of Vallter 2000. That 11km climb to the finish is the day’s only categorised ascent, but as the stage profile demonstrates, the road rises for quite some time beforehand.
The general classification picture is as follows ahead of stage 3:
1 João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:43:26
2 Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates
3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Astana Premier Tech 00:00:03
4 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:05
5 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:06
6 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:07
7 Stefan De Bod (RSA) Astana Premier Tech 00:00:10
The peloton has reached kilometre zero and stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya is formally underway.
João Almeida has impressed in just about every race he’s competed in during his short professional career, and he is continuing in the same manner here. The Portuguese rider was third behind Rohan Dennis and Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate Remi Cavagna in yesterday’s time trial in Banyoles, which was enough to put him in the leader’s jersey, just ahead of Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates). “I did a good TT, maybe I should have pushed myself a little bit more in the middle part but I was afraid of killing myself," Almeida said. Our man in Catalonia Alasdair Fotheringham has more here.
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
-190km
There's been a brisk start to the day's racing here, but no break has gained a foothold just yet. Ten riders or so currently have a small gap over the peloton but it's not yet clear if they'll be granted their freedom.
-185km
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Antonio Jesus Soto (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert) have a lead of 22 seconds over the peloton, but Bahrain Victorious seem unwilling to let them go clear.
-181km
A puncture for Antonio Jesus Soto (Euskaltel-Euskadi) sees him drop out of the break.
-175km
The pace has relented in the peloton, meanwhile, and this has allowed the escapees to extend their advantage. The gap is now in excess of 3 minutes.
Situation
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 3:10
Away from the Volta a Catalunya, the build-up to the Tour of Flanders begins in earnest today with the Classic Brugge-De Panne (the remaining shard of the much missed Three Days of De Panne). You can follow live coverage of the action in Belgium here.
The Tour of Flanders look set to take on heightened significance this year, with news breaking that Paris-Roubaix is set to be postponed due to the tightened coronavirus restrictions in northern France. Le Parisien has reported that a final decision has been made that the men's and women's editions of the race cannot go ahead as planned on April 11. Race organiser ASO has not yet commented on the matter, but reports suggest the formal postponement of the race, possibly to an end-of-season October date, will be announced today. Read more here.
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
-170km
At the Volta a Catalunya, meanwhile, the escapees have a lead of 4:10 on a peloton that seems content to grant them this early leeway.
-165km
The break's lead hits 6 minutes, and Deceuninck-QuickStep have perhaps decided that will suffice. Almeida's squad are now camped at the head of the peloton.
After losing 8 minutes on the opening stage, Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation) lost another 2:05 in yesterday's 18.5km time trial. It's very difficult to imagine how the Briton could be competitive at the Tour de France given his results since he returned to racing at the start of last season, but he looked to strike an upbeat note after his 90th-place finish on stage 2. “It’s a long, old journey getting back. But the team are being fantastic in supporting me and in the meantime I’m getting to know my teammates and fitting in the groove. It’s a great bunch of guys,” Froome said. "Naturally, I’d love to be ready for the Tour de France, but I’ve just got to follow the process and keep doing what we can.” Alasdair Fotheringham has the full story here.
(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
-154km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 7:15
-148km
There is still no urgency in the peloton, and the break's advantage continues to yawn outwards. The gap is 8:22 and still rising.
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma) is the highest-placed of the break on GC, having started the day 1:02 down in 39th overall. The Spaniard is the virtual race leader and will remain so for some time given that the break's lead is now in excess of 9 minutes.
-137km
The break's lead is touching 10 minutes as they approach Manresa. The first intermediate sprint in San Fruitos de Bages is 15km or so away.
-127km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 11:15
Deceuninck-QuickStep have been leading the peloton for the past hour or so, but Jumbo-Visma have now joined them in the pace-making effort. Steven Kruijswijk lies 4th overall at 5 seconds, and he is joined in the Jumbo-Visma selection here by George Bennett, Chris Harper and Robert Gesink.
Galvan led Camp and Evans through the intermediate sprint at San Fruitos de Bages, where the break’s lead stood at 12:25.
-105km
The escapees approach the midpoint with a lead of 10:50 over the peloton. The key climbing is packed into that stiff summit finish at the end of the day, but the road rises gently for much of the second half of today's stage as the race reaches the antechamber of the Pyrenees en route to Vallter 2000.
(Image credit: Volta a Catalunya)
The escapees have averaged 44kph in the first two hours of racing on stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya. (Image credit: Getty Images)
-102km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 10:12
-94km
The escapees have come through the daily sprint to commemorate the 100th edition of the Volta a Catalunya with a lead of 8:17 over the peloton. Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos) was first through the sprint.
Away from the Volta a Catalunya, Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe has expressed "full support" for Dave Brailsford after Richard Freeman was found guilty of was found guilty of ordering testosterone in 2011 'knowing or believing' it was for a rider. Ratcliffe's company took over from Sky as sponsor in 2019, and he told the Telegraph that the Freeman case has not altered his backing for the team."Your antenna starts pinging if you're uncomfortable about something. My antenna doesn't start pinging when I'm chatting to Dave. Quite the opposite," Ratcliffe said. "I like Dave. He has my full support. Unless something came up that I was shocked by, he will continue to have my full support."
Brailsford has yet to make any public comment since the GMC delivered its guilty verdict against Freeman, who worked under him at both British Cycling and Team Sky at the time of the offence.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
-78km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 7:32
The pace is beginning to pick up slightly in the peloton and the break's lead is gently being reeled in as a result. The gap is down to 7:20, with 72km remaining, including that tough haul to the finish at Vallter 2000.
Five riders came to the finish together when the Volta last visited Vallter 2000 in 2019, with Adam Yates claiming stage victory ahead of Egan Bernal, Dan Martin, Nairo Quintana and Miguel Angel Lopez. Unlike today, where Vallter 2000 is the only classified climb, there were four ascents on the agenda two years ago.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
-69km
Adam Yates returns to Vallter 2000 in Ineos colours today, and his team have joined Deceuninck-QuickStep and Jumbo-Visma in working at the head of the peloton, 6:37 down on the break. Yates lies 6th overall, 7 seconds behind Almeida, after a strong showing in yesterday's time trial.
Today's finale at Vallter 2000 was also the site of Tejay van Garderen's first WorldTour win in 2014, when he beat Romain Bardet to the summit amid miserable conditions.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
-52km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 5:35
Deceuninck-QuickStep, Jumbo-Visma and Ineos continue to lead the peloton, 5:25 down on the escapees. The road is climbing gradually as part of the long, long lead-in to the foot of the day's final ascent, but the escapees are being helped along by a slight tailwind for the time being.
It will be interesting to see how Ineos approach the finishing climb today, given that their squad features Adam Yates, Richard Carapaz, Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas. Yates, best placed after the time trial and a past winner at Vallter 2000, seems the obvious lead option today, but it remains to be seen how they will decide to deploy Carapaz, who starts the day 52 seconds down on Almeida.
Ineos have the core of their Tour de France squad here. Yesterday's stage winner Rohan Dennis will hope to be in the squad in July, but he was under no illusions about his place in the hierarchy here. “I’m just a donkey,” Dennis said yesterday. "I’m just the one who helps out. It’s amazing we’ve got four cards to play with the two Richies [Richie Porte and Richard Carapaz], G [Geraint Thomas] and Yatesy [Adam Yates] too. It’s not going to get any easier from here, we’ve got Vallter 2000. It’s good we’ve got options.”
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
-40km
With 25 miles remaining, the break's lead drops to 5 minutes. Considering the stiff climb to the finish, it seems unlikely any of their number will fend off the chasing peloton.
Attention is understandably drawn northwards at this time of year, but few races on the calendar have a deeper field than the Volta a Catalunya. Beyond Almeida and the Ineos squad, the list of riders with designs on making an impression today is a lengthy one, with men like Simon Yates (BikeExchange), Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic), Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates), Alejandro Valverde, Marc Soler, Enric Mas (Movistar), Jai Hindley (DSM), Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe), Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), Hugh Carthy, Rigoberto Uran (EF Education-Nippo), Dan Martin, Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Ilnur Zakarin (Gazprom-RusVelo) all present.
-35km
The escapees, meanwhile, maintain a lead of 4:47 over the peloton as they cross the river Ter at San Joan de les Abadesses.
-31km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 4:25
Deceuninck-QuickStep's pace-making continues to bring the peloton closer to the escapees. 4:13 the gap.
-25km
The route of today's stage - a largely undemanding opening 190km and a stiff 11km climb to the finish - always lent itself to this kind of race: a long, long calm before the storm. The pace is brisk in the peloton on the approach to the final climb to Vallter 2000, which is a little under 15km away. The gap to the break is 4:15.
As the name suggests, Vallter 2000 brings the race more than 2000m above sea level. The finish line is at an altitude of 2150m. The climb is 12km long at an average gradient of 7.4%.
-20km
Into the final 20km for the escapees, who still hold 4:09 of their advantage. Deceuninck-QuickStep continue to hold the reins in the peloton.
-16km
Jumbo-Visma and Ineos had been contributing to the pace-making in the peloton earlier in the stage but they are content to leave Deceunick-QuickStep to it on the final approach to the finishing climb. 3:47 the gap.
-13km
Break:
Francisco Galvan (Kern Pharma), Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo), Sean Bennett (Qhubeka-Assos), Clément Venturini (AG2R Citroën), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Qhubeka-Assos), Colin Joyce (Rally), Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alex Evans (Intermarché Wanty Gobert)
Peloton at 3:18
-12km
The break is beginning to splinter as they hit the lower slopes of the final climb. Colin Joyce and Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg have been dropped by their companions as they pass through Setcases.
-11.5km
Back in the peloton, Rohan Dennis (Ineos) sets the pace, while Peter Sagan drops Wilco Kelderman off near the front before the climbing begins in earnest. 2:35 the gap to the break.
-11km
Sagan is among the riders dropped from the peloton as the climb begins. He greets the television motorbike with a cheerful 'Ciao' as it draws near. The Slovak will be heartened by 4th place at Milan-San Remo, and he continues his comeback here in Catalonia.
-10.5km
Marc Soler (Movistar) is unceremoniously dumped out the back of the peloton, where Ineos continue to hold the reins. 1:41 the gap to the remnants of the break.
-10km
Rohan Dennis' brisk pace-making is lining out the peloton on the lower slopes of the climb and this tempo is both slicing the break's lead and whittling down the bunch.
-9.5km
Movistar respond to Soler's setback with an attack from Alejandro Valverde. Carapaz is immediately onto his wheel for Ineos.
Valverde and Carapaz are joined by Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) and Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation). They don't work with Valverde, however, and the move peters out.
Even so, the pace is too much for Chris Froome, who is dropped from the peloton with over 9km of the climb still to go. There are still around 40 or so riders in this group.
-8.5km
Thymen Arensman (DSM) and Alexander Kamp (Trek-Segafredo) have forged clear of the rest of the break but the key action is 1:23 down the road, where Simon Yates (BikeExchange) has accelerated...
Simon Yates' attack has lined out the white jersey group still further and gaps are opening. Carapaz, Valverde, Woods, Kuss, Hugh Carthy and Nairo Quintana are with Yates. They have a handful of seconds on a larger group featuring Joao Almeida...
-8km
Thymen Arensman (DSM) has dropped Kamp and is the lone leader on the road, 1:15 clear of the GC contenders.
-7.8km
The Almeida and Yates groups fuse, and soon afterwards, Valverde kicks again. The Spaniard clips away alone from the group of favourites, which numbers about 20 riders or so.
Valverde has opened a gap and he is picking off the remnants of the break caught between Arensman and the GC group.
-7km
Thymen Arensman (DSM) leads Alejandro Valverde by 1:06. Giulio Ciccone is trying to bridge across to Valverde, with the GC favourites a little further behind.
-6.5km
Break:
Thymen Arensman (DSM)
Chaser at 1:00
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Peloton at 1:16
-6.4km
Richard Carapaz accelerates in the white jersey group and when he eases off, NAiro Quintana kicks and sets off in lone pursuit of Valverde...
Quintana catches Valverde, who latches on the Colombian's wheel. This duo is 52 seconds down on the lone leader Thymen Arensman (DSM).
Richard Carapaz and Giulio Ciccone aren't far behind the Valverde-Quintana tandem, while Fausto Masnada leads the GC group for Almeida.
-6km
Thymen Arensman (DSM) leads Valverde and Quintana by 44 seconds, with Carapaz and Ciccone at 52 seconds, and a very reduced peloton just behind them.
-5.5km
Geraint Thomas and Richie Porte are lined up on Almeida's wheel in the group of favourites. Others in that group of 20 or so riders are Adam Yates, Sepp Kuss, Dan Martin, Simon Yates, Esteban Chaves and Lennard Kamna.
-5km
Ciccone and Carapaz join Quintana and Valverde. This quartet is 30 seconsd behind Arensman (DSM), though Carapaz is showing signs of suffering...
Carapaz's struggles haven't gone unnoticed... Adam Yates accelerates viciously from the Almeida group. Only Kuss can follow the Briton's pace, and they swoop across to Valverde at all in a matter of metres.
Remarkably, Valverde is the only man from that quartet who can follow Yates and Kuss. Quintana, Ciccone and Carapaz fall back...
-4.5km
Adam Yates, Sepp Kuss and Valverde catch Thymen Arensman (DSM), the last man standing from the break. The Almeida group, which numbers 15 or so riders, is at 27 seconds.
-4km
Break:
Thymen Arensman (DSM), Adam Yates (Ineos), Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Joao Almeida group at 0:26
-3.7km
A fine effort from Arensman, who accelerates as the road flattens. He doesn't drop Yates et al, but he reminds them that he is still in the bike race...
Back in the Almeida group, Wilco Kelderman accelerates and strings things out. His effort appears to have done for Almeida's helpers James Knox and Fausto Masnada.
-3km
Arensman is dropped by Adam Yates, Kuss and Valverde as the gradient stiffens once again. They have 14 seconds on the Almeida group, which puts Yates in the virtual overall lead...
-2.6km
Sepp Kuss attacks but Yates and Valverde respond. Harm Vanhoucke (Lotto Soudal) attacks behind and lingers a few metres ahead of the Almeida group, where the race leader is setting the pace.
-2.3km
Adam Yates takes over from Kuss and that spells the end for Valverde, who is dropped. Yates and Kuss have 21 seconds on the Almeida group, while Harm Vanhoucke and Hugh Carthy are somewhere in between...
-1.8km
Another, rasping acceleration from Adam Yates, and that could be decisive as Kuss loses his wheel... The Briton could perhaps sense Valverde coming back up but now he is pulling clear alone...
Adam Yates looks to be riding to stage victory and the overall lead as he throws away his bidon. He can see Kuss and Valverde on the hairpin beneath him, as he extends his lead out to 29 seconds.
Esteban Chaves (BikeExchange) is now the second rider on the road. The Colombian accelerated with about 3km to go but the television cameras lost sight of him until now. He must have caught and passed Kuss and Valverde..
-1km
Into the final kilometre for Adam Yates, who is dancing to what will be an emphatic stage victory at Vallter 2000 and a sizeable overall lead. He stands to gain more than half a ,onute on all of his GC rivals.
Adam Yates (Ineos) wins stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya.
Esteban Chaves (BikeExchange) is second at 13 seconds. Alejandro Valverde is third at 18 seconds or so.
The group of favourites fragmented on the final approach to the summit. Geraitn Thomas (Ineos) emerges to take 4th on the stage, 31 seconds down. Vanhoucke, Carthy and Kuss were with him.
Dan Martin, Richie Porte, Kelderman and Simon Yates weren't far behind Thomas. Almeida, on the other hand, comes in 47 seconds down on the stage winner Adam Yates.
Brandon McNulty comes in 1:20 down, with Kruijswijk and Carapaz a little behind him.
Result
1 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 05:00:58
2 Esteban Chaves (Col) Team BikeExchange 00:00:13
3 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:00:19
4 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:31
5 Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal
6 Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma 00:00:33
7 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo
8 Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) 00:00:36
9 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers
10 Giulio Ciccone (Ita) Trek-Segfredo
General classification
1 Adam Yates (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 09:44:21
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:45
3 João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:50
4 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 00:00:53
5 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:01:03
6 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 00:01:04
7 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo 00:01:16
8 Simon Yates (GBr) Team BikeExchange 00:01:21
9 Esteban Chaves (Col) Team BikeExchange
10 Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal 00:01:30
Adam Yates on his victory: "We had to keep the break under control, because at the beginning they gained a lot of time. It’s a long climb and a really hard climb so we knew even if they had a couple of minutes at the bottom, we could bring it back. Everything was perfect. In the end, we knew we had cards to play and we played them well, with Richie [Carapaz] going with the other move, and then I came across and just kept going. It’s my first victory for my new team, so I’m really happy.
“Two years ago, I also went really well here. I just felt good. Like I said, we had Richard Carapaz in front. I wanted to bridge across and then we could start working, but in the end, I had enough momentum and speed to go straight past. I still had Kuss and Alejandro with me but I managed to drop them.”
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
In Belgium, meanwhile, Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep) has won the Classic Brugge-De Panne, his first one-day WorldTour victory. A report is available here.
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
A report, results and photos from stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya are available here.
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
(Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
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