As it happened: Late break takes shortened stage six at Volta a Catalunya

Hello and welcome to CyclingNews' live report on the shortened stage six of the Volta a Catalunya 2025. 

Originally, the stage was going to be 159km long with the Coll del Pradell on the parcour. However, due to high winds, the race has decided it is safer to shorten the stage and remove the climb from the race. This makes today's stage 118.6km long.

>>> Volta a Catalunya to miss main climb of toughest stage because of high winds  

Today is the penultimate stage of this year's race with a summit finish set the test the riders. With just one second between race leader Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), the race is wide open...

>>> 'Every second counts' - Juan Ayuso returns to Volta a Catalunya lead with one-second advantage over Primož Roglič 

It was another amazing result for 19-year-old, Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike, yesterday with him taking his second stage win of the week...

>>> 'Two wins is bonkers' - Matthew Brennan goes from strength to strength in Volta a Catalunya sprints 

One rider has left the race this morning:

Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike)

The winner of stages one and five has dropped out of the race. The team has said that they are giving the 19-year-old some "extra rest" after a superb week.

Yet more change to the stage. This is much more major. 

The race organisers have put out a statement saying:

"Due to extreme wind conditions, the organisers of the Volta a Catalunya have been forced to change the route of stage 6. The stage will be a 146-kilometre route that will not include the mountain passes of Coll de la Batallola, Collada de Sant Isidre or the arrival at Queralt.

"The end of the stage will be in Berga (Carrer Rasa del Canyet, where the intermediate sprint was planned) after having completed two laps of a circuit passing through Gironella, Puig-reig, Santa Maria de Merlès, Borredà and returning to Berga via Vilada."

The riders have completed sign on for the sixth stage but the riders may not be absolutely sure what sort of stage they're heading into. 

The stage is still quite undulating and does have an uphill kick to the line, so this stage could still be key in the fight for the race overall. The riders are due to start very soon. 

Five non-starters today:

Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Felix Gall (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)
Brieuc Rolland (Groupama-FDJ)
Nils Eekoff (Picnic-PostNL)
Jon Aberasturi (Euskaltel-Euskadi)

There were lots of confused looking riders at the start today. Even Primož Roglič and Geraint Thomas. 

The race was meant to have started by now but there is now word to whether it has or not. 

The team of Burgos-Burpellet-BH helpfully posting the new stage profile on social media...

Neutral start

Finally the riders are on their bikes. 

The riders have passed kilometre zero but are still neutralised. 

The race is staying neutralised for now. The organisers are assessing the conditions to see if it is safe to race as the course still goes to an altitude of almost 900 metres and the wind is very strong. 

If the organisers decide the conditions are safe to race in then they will start the racing proper for the final 60km lap. 

Puncture

Fran Miholjević (Bahrain Victorious)

The wind is high even at the lower levels with the riders close to the lowest part of the stage right now and the wind is up at 33kph. On top of that, the riders are facing, head, cross and cross-tail winds all day. It is understandable why the race organisers are being cautious. 

Half an hour of riding done and the race is going along at a good speed, despite being neutralised. The average speed is 40kph. 

120km to go

The race remains neutralised after 25km of riding. The race is set to start properly when the riders return to the start town of Berga. 

The winds have been reported to be over 100kph ob the tops of the climbs that were originally on the route, today. Absolutely understandable that the organisers made the decisions they have. 

Movistar are blocked across the road at the front of the bunch. It is disappointing for the riders that they are neutralised for now. However, it is understandable. 

The organisers have had to use roads that were not safety checked beforehand as there wasn't time. The race is neutralised to allow security enough time to make sure the route is safe. 

Fortunately, the weather is sunny and warm. Just extremely windy. 

Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) has come up to the main organisers car and has asked for the peloton to stop and let them clear the course then they race to the finish this lap with a stage winner and no GC times taken. 

Primož Roglič's request appeared to be denied so Marc Soler (UAE TeamEmirates-XRG) and Juan Pedro López (Lidl-Trek) came up and were far more adament that they did what has been requested by Roglič. 

The discussions continue with Soler leading them along with Omar Fraile (Ineos Grenadiers). 

There will be no bonus seconds today and the GC times will be taken with 5km to go. 

Riders are heading to the back of the peloton to give the team cars jackets, arm warmers and leg warmers. It looks like the rider's wish has been granted. But, discussions are continuing. 

The race is about to start with the finish coming at the first passage of the line. This race will both start and finish quite soon. No bonus seconds and GC times take with 5km to go. 

Racing starts

And racing begins with Picnic-PostNL hitting the front for, potentially, Pavel Bittner. 

Roughly 25km to go. 

Attack!

Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek)

He is joined by a Picnic-PostNL rider but is being chased down by the peloton. 

A rider from Groupama-FDJ join the two up front with 23km to go. 

Leaders:

Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek)
Frank van den Broek (Picnic-PostNL)
Rémy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ)

They are currently on an extremely technical descent at the moment and Rochas is looking like the best on the downhill. Van den Broek is refusing to work as he is just marking the move for Pavel Bittner. 

20km to go

A rider from Kern Pharma has bridged the gap to the leading trio. Ineos Grenadiers are leading the peloton for Axel Laurance. 

Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma) is the rider who has bridged to the leaders. They have a gap of 10" on the peloton with 15km to go. 

Movistar come to the front of the peloton and they are rapidly closing in on the four riders in the break. 

Attack

Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek)

Frank van den Broek (Picnic-PostNL) has latched onto him as Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma) and Rémy Rochas (Groupama-FDJ) are caught by the peloton. 

10km to go

Verona and Van den Broek are caught by the peloton with Ineos Grenadiers taking full control of the peloton. 

Ineos Grenadiers are pushing very hard for Axel Laurance but also, a chance to split things before the 5km to go mark. 

Apparently, Axel Laurance's parents are at the finish. So, this would mean the world to him to take the win today. 

5km to go

The GC times are taken here. There will be no gaps after this point that will damage any GC chances. Lucas Hamilton (Ineos Grenadiers) leads the way with Nairo Quintana (Movistar) joining the pace setting. 

Into the final 4km and there are multiple moves off the front led by XDS-Astana. 

This is a huge acceleration from the XDS-Astana rider and the peloton has been split to pieces with five riders clear. 

Three others get across the gap to the leading five with Marc Soler also getting across making it a group of nine riders. But, Ineos Grenadiers are coming back with under 2km to go. 

Flamme Rouge

Israel-Premier Tech come across the gap with Ethan Vernon making it to the leaders. 

Attack!

Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek)

He gets a gap and this is looking like a winning move from the American. 

500 metres to go. Alpecin-Deceuninck are leading the chase behind but it looks like it is going to be a win for Simmons. 

Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) wins stage six of the Volta a Catalunya 2025 just in front of a rapidly approaching Pavel Bittner (Picnic-PostNL). 

Top 10

1. Quinn Simmons (USA) Lidl-Trek 25'04"
2. Pavel Bittner (CZE) Pinic-PostNL
3. Corbin Strong (NZL) Israel-Premier Tech
4. Anders Foldager (DEN) Jayco-AlUla
5. Lennert Van Eetvelt (BEL) Lotto
6. Ethan Vernon (GBR) Israel-Premier Tech
7. Andrea Vendrame (ITA) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
8. Dorian Godon (FRA) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
9. Axel Laurance (FRA) Ineos Grenadiers
10. Pau Miquel (ESP) Kern Pharma all same time. 

It's Quinn Simmons' first WorldTour win and his fifth career victory. A good day for the Lidl-Trek rider. 

GC after stage six

1. Juan Ayuso (ESP) UAE Team Emirates-XRG 22:48'07"
2. Primož Roglič (SLO) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe +1"
3. Enric Mas (ESP) Movistar +21"
4. Mikel Landa (ESP) Soudal-QuickStep +22"
5. Lenny Martinez (FRA) Bahrain Victorious +28"
6. Laurens De Plus (BEL) Ineos Grenadiers +59"
7. Egan Bernal (COL) Ineos Grenadiers S.T.
8. Lennnert Van Eetvelt (BEL) Lotto +1'10"
9. Simon Yates (GBR) Visma-Lease a Bike +1'14"
10. Richard Carapaz (ECU) EF Education-EasyPost +1'27"

Take a read of our post race report after what was an utterly bizarre day...

>>> Volta a Catalunya: Quinn Simmons wins severely shortened stage 6