Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) climbs to victory on the first mountain top finish in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya – now second overall
News: Win for Yates in Catalunya
Briton’s Adam Yates has claimed today’s stage victory on the first hill top finish in Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, after sprinting to the win from a reduced group of five riders. On the final 11 kilometre climb up to the finish line in Vallter 2000, a natural selection was made followed by a flurry of attacks, which left just five riders at the front of the race to battle it out for the victory.
Getty Images
Yates attacked a couple of times but wasn’t able to shake off the others who were quickly on his wheel and in the end it was his speed that gave him the victory, as he powered across the line to take an impressive stage victory.
Large breakaway animates the start
With the road profile gradually heading north for today’s mountain test, many riders wanted to be in the day’s breakaway. A group of 11 riders escaped from the peloton in the early stages and with a long way to go, the bunch allowed them a steady lead of over seven-minutes. As the race headed into the final 60 kilometres, with three hard first-category climbs remaining, the leaders’ advantage had dropped to just four minutes and continued to decrease with every kilometre that passed, with Movistar Team doing the majority of the chasing.
The breakaway group reduced in size down to seven riders over the challenging terrain and Mitchelton-SCOTT sent Michael Albasini to the front of the peloton to help with the chase and soon after the peloton sat just one and a half minutes behind the leaders. As the bunch began the final ascent to the finish, the 11.2 kilometre climb with a 7.6% average gradient and pinches of 18%, the group naturally reduced and the final breakaway riders where caught with seven kilometres still to go.
… continued after advert
The front of the race eventually whittled down to a group of around 10riders with just Adam Yates in contention for Mitchetlon-SCOTT. Egan Bernal (Team Sky) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) attacked away from the group but Yates paced his effort in hot pursuit and quickly made the junction. The three leaders continued to attack and then slow down, unable to breakaway from each other and gradually Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team) and Dan Martin (UAE) jumped across in time for the final kilometre.
Despite the constant attacks, the stage came down to a sprint between the five leaders, with Yates showing his speed to cross the line in first place and move up to second place overall just 27seconds behind Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal).
Adam Yates: “Last week I showed that I was in good condition, I came up short there and I really wanted to win today. On the climb Bernal and Quintana were really strong, when they attacked I held back a little bit just to pace my effort and slowly, slowly came back to them. Then it was a bit of a game. Quintana didn’t really want to work and in the end it was a sprint with 200 metres to go and I managed to finish it off. Tomorrow we have another tough stage and another possibly for a stage win but we will see. So far so good, the team did a super job to look after me, so more of the same tomorrow hopefully.”
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Stage 3 Results:
1. Adam Yates (Mitchelton-SCOTT) 5:02:18
2. Egan Bernal (Team Sky) ST
3. Dan Martin (UAE) ST
General Classification after Stage 3:
1. Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) 13:28:29
2. Adam Yates (Mitchelton-SCOTT) +0:27
3. Egan Bernal (Team Sky) +0:30
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: PB Performance U23 Nat Series RR
- Features, Reports, Results
- TT Result: GTR – Return To Life TT Series 10m TT
- TT Result: Barrow Central Wheelers 21m TT
- TT Result: Dursley Road Club 6.8m TT
- TT Result: Farnborough & Camberley CC 10m TT
- TT Result: East Sussex CA 10m TT
- TT Result: Kings Lynn CC 10m TT
- Youth Result: North West Youth League 2
- Crit Result: Ennerdale 2024 Season openers 3
- Crit Result: Carlisle Some Enchanted Evenings 1
- Crit Result: Hub Velo/6AM Cycling Spring Crit Series
- Crit Result: Oxfordshire Road Race League (Abingdon)
- RR Result: Radnorshire Road Race
- Crit Result: Full Gas Spring Cup #1
- Events: 18th Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic Route
- Events: Nigel Harrop Memorial Road Race
- TT Result: VTTA East Midlands 10m TT
- TT Result: East Sussex CA 25m TT
- TT Result: VTTA Kent 30m Time Trial
- TT Result: Shaftesbury CC 25m TT
- TT Result: CTT Classic Series 3
- TT Result: Diss & District CC 25m TT
- TT Result: Icknield RC 20m TT
- TT Result: Royal Albert CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Southport CC 15m TT
- Crit Result: Milton Keynes Development Races
- This weekend: 18th CiCLE Classic UCI 1.2
- The Dave Peck Memorial: British Women’s Team Cup 2
- BMCR RESULT: National A/B RR and Echelon Cycles Stallard races
- RR Result: Proper Northern Road Races (Oakenclough)
- RR Result: Drummond Trophy
- Crit Result: Thruxton Tuesday Series 2
- Crit Result: CDPP Sport Crit Series 1
- Crit Result: SACA Salt Ayre Series 1
- Crit Result: Portsmouth Evening Circuits 4
- Crit Result: Rowe & King Maindy 1
- Q&A: Charlie Abraham (Lee Valley Youth Junior Cycling Team)
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Youth Result: Isle of Man Youth League
- Youth Result: Lawford Youth Series (Curborough) #2
Other News on VeloUK
- Events: 18th Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic Route
- Events: Nigel Harrop Memorial Road Race
- This weekend: 18th CiCLE Classic UCI 1.2
- Events: SSSCCRRL Road Race League
- Ribble Collective: Ride More in ’24
- Startlist: The Drummond Trophy
- EVENTS: Proper Northern Road Races – Round 2 Oakenclough
- Events: Dave Peck Memorial
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain
- Startlist: PB Performance Espoirs Road Race
- East Cleveland Classic: Saint Piran Team
- News: New kit for Ribble Rebellion Riders
- Events: Halesowen Friday Track Nights
- Team News: Ribble Rebellion off to the USA
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (March)
- Rider News: Winning start for Billy Ladle
- News: CiCLE Classic 2024
- Startlist: Stars of the SW Men’s U23 RR
- Startlist: Danum Trophy 2024 (Nat B)
- Startlists: London Dynamo Road Races
- Startlist: La Fleche Waltonne Road Races (BMCR)
- Meet Ribble HoloRider
- Startlists: East Cleveland Classic 2024
- Former Winners: Lincoln Grand Prix
- Chris Lawless Joins Saint Piran Team
- Paracycling Track Worlds Day 4
- Para CyclingWorlds Final Day
- Startlist: National Youth Circuit Series Rd 1
- Report/Result: Azets Spring Classic
- Startlists: RCR Fat Creations Road Races
- Startlist: Capernwray Road Race (March 31)
- Team Report: Fensham Howes MAS Design Junior Team
- Team Report: CiCLE Classic Junior Men
- RIDER REPORTS – Zoe Parker (Solihull CC)
- GB News: Two World Titles for GB at Para Worlds
- Team News: Alba Development Road Team
- News: British Road Champs Return to NE
- THIS WEEKEND: Peaks Two Day is Back!
- News: Laura Kenny Retires
- Team News: Lee Valley Youth Cycling Team