Oh yes so close, Fraile did very well here and again scored some fine WT points, but somehow can't win.
2nd in West-Vlaanderen
Podiums at two stages in Oman
3rd overall in Oman
and now 2nd in Sanremo
Squad:
Pello Bilbao - Ion Izagirre - Gorka Izagirre - Dario Cataldo
Yevgeniy Gidich - Jonas Gregaard Wilsly - Dmitriy Gruzdev
Expectations:
Catalunya is a (low level) Priority Race for the team, the management expect at top 5 result, but when we look at the startlist, will be struggling to get inside top 10 in a very tough race for us.
We are riding with two leaders, Pello Bilbao & Ion Izagirre both with hope for a GC result.
The stage starts in Calella, after a visit to Mataró back to Calella and then we are heading into the Montseny Massif for some climbs. Now heading for the coast we pass over a hill climb in Vallgorguina before the finish back in Calella.
Originally as with most coastal towns Calella used to be a small fishing community, but with its sand beaches exploded into a booming tourist destination in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Top 5 media favorites:
Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) Davide Formolo (BORA) Diego Ulissi (UAE) Ben Swift (Sky)
The still active Calella Lighthouse was constructed from 1856 to 1859
Race
It is a very enjoyable spring morning at the Catalonian coast, sunny 15°C with a light breeze.
We have a very hard fight this morning with many riders attempting to create a breakaway, won’t mention them all just that Jonas Gregaard joined failed attempt several times.
This continued for more than 50 km and resulted in the top sprinters fighting for both point sprints. Ben Swift (Sky) took the 1st, Alvaro Hodeg (Quick Step) the 2nd.
Quick Step just 22 years old Colombian sprinter Alvaro Hodeg, won the Calella – Calella stage last season, but this profile is harder
We were more than 70 km into the stage before we finally got the breakaway. Initiate by David Lozano (Novo Nordisk) 9 riders with Astana’s Yevgeniy Gidich.
Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal) strongest at the cat.2 and later also the cat.1, Hansen will be the first in the King of Mountain jersey.
Besides Hansen and Lozano, Gavin Mannion (Rally) and Victor De La Parte (CCC) passes the top almost together, Yevgeniy Gidich about 20” later. The peloton at 1’35”
Australia living legend Adam Hansen has participated in 27 grand tours, with a record 6 times finishing all three tours in the same season
Yevgeniy Gidich get back in the break on the flat before the coming hilly climb, now just 5 riders in front of the peloton.
Lozano attacks and stays ahead for a while, the peloton a just 35”. Just as the pursuit catch Lozano, Yevgeniy Gidich attacks over the cat.3.
Yevgeniy Gidich best result this season was the mountain classification if Tour of Oman
Sky takes the lead in the peloton trying to close the gap, but with 10 km left Gidich got 59”, also Gavin Mannion still in front of the peloton 22” behind Gidich
With about 8 km left we got a massive crash in the peloton taking 35 riders down, this may be what Gidich needs, likely to cause some confusion.
The distance has grown to 1’14” when Gidich passes under the 5 km banner, a good rouleur Gidich is now looking at a likely win.
Gavin Mannion gets caught almost under the red kite but no one can stop Yevgeniy Gidich from winning the first stage in Volta a Catalunya. Ben Swift wins the peloton sprint for 2nd in front of Eros Capecchi
Julen Amezqueta (Caja Rural) did not finish, he broke a collarbone in the crash.
Kazakhstani Yevgeniy Gidich was born in Kokshetau 1996, he has now 7 professional victories.
Astana Pro Team
Wonderful to see the young Yevgeniy take his first win at world tour level, a great start in a race that could be hard for us. With a 1’04” lead there is even a chance that he can hold the jersey for some days
The stage starts in Mataró, from there north over a hilly cat.3 climb close to Dosrius village, form there we follow the Tordera River Basin northeast, before we turn directly north heading for Olot it the foot of Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park.
The stage finish with a circular route: Olot to Banyoles, Banyoles to Tortellà and from Tortellà back to the finish in Olot. The route is fairly hilly with a relative easy summit finish in Olot, we expect a smaller group sprint.
Mataró has its origin in 1st century BC as the Roman city of Iluro, in the 16th century Mataró was a medieval village built around the church, but fortified by walls and from 1569 to 1600 a 2nd set of walls bear witness to further expansion.
Top 5 media favorites:
Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) Davide Formolo (BORA) Romain Bardet (Ag2r) Thibaut Pinot (FDJ)
Roman Villa of Can Llauder (1st century BC) was discovered in 1961, Museum of Mataró hold artefacts from the villa
Race
It is another nice spring morning in Catalonian, sunshine 19°C with a little wind.
We get the first attempt over the small uncatagorised hill, most prominent of the 8 riders Alessandro De Marchi (CCC) and Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto Soudal) but the are caught by a fast peloton
Marczynski accelerate again on the Cat.3, starting what is to become todays early break, four riders, the others are De Marchi, Gustavo César Veloso (W52) and David Lozano (Novo). David Lozano best placed in KoM with 10 points.
De Marchi first over ”Alt de Can Bordoi” in front of Marczynski.
Polish Tomasz Marczynski (35) has 8 professional victories, 5 of those were Polish National Championships. His latest win Stage 12 in Vuelta a España 2017, he also won stage 6 in that Tour, so clearly his best season
The breakaway gets an advance of 3’42 with some 140 km left, but from there the gap slowly melts, with Yevgeniy Gidich in the leader jersey Astana takes responsibility working with Gorka Izagirre and Jonas Gregaard Wilsly, also Quick Step’s Iljo Keisse very active in front of the bunch.
Belgian Iljo Keisse (36) best result was the last stage in Giro d'Italia 2015, he has been with Quick Steep since 2010
After the long uncategorized climb, we get some huge crashes, first 25 riders but not affecting the team leaders, but then with 45 km left Nathan Brown Education First touch the wheel of the rider in front of him. The crash happens in front of the peloton and not only takes down 55 riders but many more are blocked behind the chaos.
Mikel Landa, Vincenzo Nibali, Ion Izagirre important riders we know for sure lies on the road. Simon Yates, Richie Porte if not down at least blocked. Nathan Brown out.
Those we know for sure escaped the crash are race leader Gidich, Wilco Kelderman, Pello Bilbao, Romain Bardet, Roman Kreuziger, Alejandro Valverde, Thibaut Pinot and Tom Dumoulin, estimated some 30 riders.
Over the next 20 km the bunch grows back to 74 riders and the breakaway was caught. The pace is extremely high going into the final it will be very difficult for those who came back getting to the front.
Astana’s Gruzdev latest to rejoin, also Ion Izagirre and Cataldo amongst the 20 riders hanging in the rear end of the bunch
With 10 km left Gorka Izagirre down in a two rider crash.
Up front we get an acceleration of the steepest section Bardet, Kelderman, Aru and Swift, but they are reeled in by another 15 riders as they pass under the red kite.
Michal Kwiatkowski opens the sprint for Ben Swift, race leader Yevgeniy Gidich in 8th position.
Romain Bardet in front with 700 meters left, but he used a lot of energy leading the late attack
Ben Swift (Sky) wins the 2nd stage in Olot.
With a brilliant finish Yevgeniy Gidich 2nd in front of Fabio Aru
Many important riders lost time due to the crashes hunting the riders today: Rigoberto Uran, Davide Formolo, Domenico Pozzovivo + 1'56
Ion Izagirre + 3'15, Simon Yates + 3'30
Richie Porte, Richard Carapaz, Mikel Landa, Bauke Mollema + 4'24
This was English Ben Swift’s (31) first season win, his latest was Coppi e Bartali in 2015
Astana Pro Team
Very bitter sweet day out there today. We are very pleased that Gidich kept his lead, and took another podium, turning out to be quite strong from those reduced sprints. But Ion losing a lot of time was a blow to out GC options.
Ya quite surprised about him, not very strong in other races but with perfect form and moral boost from this leading position he is suddenly very strong here.
But when the race gets harder we have to expect that he will crack.
The stage start and finish in Girona, composed of two different laps both starting from Girona and creating a circle south – east – north - west. The first and largest lap almost passing the coast when reaching the southeastern most point in Calonge and finishing with a hard cat.1 climb passing through the northern part of The Gavarres massif.
The shorter 2nd lap first south along the edge of The Gavarres massif and then cutting first west to east over a cat.3 Alt de Santa Pellaia and then back east to west passing the harder Alt dels Ángels, both climbs in the center of The Gavarres massif, before we take the difficult downhill towards the finish back in Girona.
The area that is today’s municipality of Girona, was originally inhabited by the The Iberians tribe of Indigets. Due to conflict in Rome, Roman general and statesman Gneu Pompeu Magne build a fortification (at the time: Gerunda) founding what soon became a Roman city.
Top 5 media favorites:
Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) Davide Formolo (BORA), Romain Bardet (Ag2r) Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain)
Moixé ben Nahman (1194 - 1270) was a doctor and the rabbi of the Jewish quarter of Girona, and outstanding Philosopher, Talmudist and Cabalist. For more than 40 years, he was the highest religious authority of the Hebrews of Europe.
Race
The weather has worsened since yesterday, the sky is very dark and it raining at the start area in Girona, at least there is not much wind.
The morning break was initiated by Rasmus Byriel Iversen (Lotto) with Adam De Vos (Rally) David Lozano (Novo) Nordisk and Mauricio Moreira (Caja Rural)
The breakaway will grow to 9 riders within the first 20 km with the addition of Gustavo César Veloso (W52) Brandon Mcnulty (Rally) Jon Irisarri (Caja Rural) and Angel Madrazo (Burgos), in the meantime Jack Bauer (Mitchelton) have started a solo pursuit and joins the breakaway after a little less than 40 km.
On the 3.5 km climb “Alt de Romanya” Rasmus Byriel Iversen lose contact, the rider starting the break will never rejoin. Gustavo César takes the KoM.
Spanish veteran Gustavo César (39) have been Professional since 2001, of his 14 wins most prominent Volta a Catalunya 2008
The weather is awful and we get a crash at the very first downhill, 26 riders down with prominent names like Formolo, Pinot, Dumoulin, Aru, Ulissi, Kennaugh and Carapaz, they lose about 2’30” to the pack, but the pace it not hard and they all get back very fast.
Astana’s Dmitriy Gruzdev was down and although he gets back, he is not looking good and soon loses contact again. He will finish a lot later than the bunch today.
Jack Bauer wins the 2nd cat.3 and with the Cat.1 coming up and the peloton coming closer, Bauer accelerates and drops the companions before he passes the top, at this point the only rider in front of the pack, he got 46”.
Jack Bauer just barely keeps the gap open on the downhill and the flat section. He has 39” when a group of three riders attack from the pack, Julien Bernard (Trek) Serge Pauwels (CCC) and Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Euskadi)
Jack Bauer was born 1985 in Takaka, New Zealand. His most important result winning Japan Cup in 2013, Bauer transferred to Mitchelton-Scott in 2018 after just one season at Quick-Step
The four riders was caught at the Cat.2 “Alt de Santa Pellaia” and it was Julien Bernard(Trek) accelerating from the pack to win the KoM. Julien Bernard fight hard on the downhill but was caught at the flat before the final cat. 1 to “Alt dels Ángels”.
Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger attempt a late attack over the top, but Astana’s Pello Bilbao and Dario Cataldo control the race well and keeps a group of 26 riders united, Yevgeniy Gidich makes it over the top and he may well keep the race lead.
Astana able to control the important last climb get 5 riders in the leading group with just 5 km to the finish line
After a very hard day on a tough route and in extreme weather, it comes down to a reduced sprint, one of those where it more important to have a little extra in the tank than being the on paper strongest sprinter.
Michal Kwiatkowski wins the stage in front of Yevgeniy Gidich and Domenico Pozzovivo.
The strenuous weather took its toll, Eros Capecchi and Michael Mørkøv both Quick Step, Mikel Bizkarra (Euskadi) and Emerson Oronte (Rally) left the race.
Michał Kwiatkowski was born in Chełmża, Poland, He turned professional in 2010 at Caja Rural. This was Kwiatkowski’s 2nd win of the season, he also won stage 1 in Vuelta a Andalucia (20/2)
Astana Pro Team
2nd days in a row with Yevgeniy Gidich on the podium, able to keep his unexpected race lead. Pello Bilbao looked fine on the stage too, indicated that he is ready for harder stages to come.
Today we got the Queen stage of the race, starting in Tona we are heading north for the Spanish Pyrenees, passing two cat.1 climbs, Alt de Bracons (9.5 km 5.6%) and Alt de Coubet (12.8 km 5.4%), before the long climb up to Hors catégorie Alt de la Creueta, the road actually raises about 3% for more than 34 km, but the official climb is 19.1 km at 4.9% may not sound too bad but a very irregular climb with up to 8%, after a long descent we finish with a 8.6 km summit finish at La Molina ski resort, counting as a cat 1 climb.
Besides some traces of stone age settlement, Tona appears in 2nd century BC as a Roman hilltop settlement in the western part of what is now Tona, maybe with earlier Iberian origin. In medieval times Tona was mentioned in 888 or 889, with church (San Andrés) and castle.
Top 5 media favorites:
Romain Bardet (Ag2r) Simon Yates (Mitchelton) Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain) Richie Porte (Trek) Thibaut Pinot (FDJ)
Sant Miquel de Vilageliu was first mentioned in 948, the church is located about 2.5 km from the current city center.
Race
We got 14°C, clouded and not much wind. Fine conditions as long as we doesn’t get rain.
Sam Brand (Novo) opens the stage with 5 riders at wheel. Many riders and teams know they can’t win a stage like this and we see attacks left and right. Over the first hill with just 8 km raced, 4 groups with a total of 18 riders in front of the bunch.
Astana decides to try and join the fun, mainly not to be forced to do all the chasing alone. Dario Cataldo follow an acceleration from Alessandro De Marchi (CCC)
Approaching Alt de Bracons, the breakaway have grown into one large group of 26 riders, amongst them Bauke Mollema (Trek), Simone Petilli (UAE), Felix Grosschartner (BORA) Sergey Chernetckii (Caja Rural) and KoM leader Adam Hansen (Lotto)
Christopher Juul Jensen (Mitchelton) attacks for the KoM and opens a gap, but in last second Simon Clarke (Education First) takes the KoM, Cataldo third takes 10 points.
Australian Simon Clarke (32) best result has been two stage wins in Vuelta a España latest stage 5 last season. His best result so far this season was 14th in the GC of Tour Down Under
The situation in the valley between the two climbs is that 4 riders was dropped from the breakaway, the remaining 22 riders got about 6’30”. Ag2r the most active team in the bunch.
Dario Cataldo attacks for the KoM with 2.7 km to the top, he just barely crosses the line first, but he takes the 16 points. 16 riders crosses the top together with the pack at 3’52.
On the downhill the breakaway grows to 21 riders, now no rider between the break and the peloton, distance 4’24” with 74 hard km left for the breakaway.
Riders start dropping as the HC climb gets steeper, the pack reduced to 68 riders, Astana loses Gruzdev. Also in the breakaway more and more riders meet their limits the leading group down to just 10 riders with 2.5 km to the top.
The KoM leader now dropped and very likely to lose the jersey
Petilli first over the HC climb in front of Mollema. Cataldo 7th with 8 points.
From the peloton Vincenzo Nibali attacks but Ion Izagirre close it down and Nibali never get a huge gap. The favorite group is now reduced to 45 riders.
Laengen was dropped on the downhill whereas Felix Grosschartner and Alessandro De Marchi able to rejoin the breakaway.
Astana have now just 3 riders left in the favorite group.
Race leader Yevgeniy Gidich now reduced to domestic, getting supplies for his teammates, Pello Bilbao and Ion Izagirre
There have been a split in the breakaway and Dario Cataldo now sits in the pursuit 20” behind the 5 race leaders, Grosschartner, De Marchi, Petilli, Bravo and Olivier.
Alessandro De Marchi attacks and drops everyone from the leading group, Dario Cataldo and Bauke Mollema work together to rejoin group Petilli, with 3.4 km to the top De Marchi has 37” to the pursuit.
Vincenzo Nibali and Thibaut Pinot attacks from the peloton, the acceleration split the favourite group, dropping race leader Yevgeniy Gidich.
Thibaut Pinot can’t keep up with Nibali, but Romain Bardet accelerates and joins Nibali as he also picks up Bauke Mollema and later Alessandro De Marchi, these are the leading four passing under the red kite together.
13” behind this group the pursuit with 13 riders, amongst them Uran & Clarke (Education First) Thibaut Pinot (Groupama) Steven Kruijswijk & Daan Olivier (Jumbo) Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky) and Simone Petilli (UAE), Astana with Pello Bilbao, Dario Cataldo and Ion Izagirre.
Italian Vincenzo Nibali (34) in front of the leading group, with just 700 meters to the top. Nibali best result of the season was winning the GC in Tour of Oman, he also won the KoM in that race.
After sitting in the breakaway all day but cleverly not fighting too much for the KoM points Bauke Mollema very strong on the final 500 meters able to drop the others one by one.
Also Pello Bilbao have had a good ride overtaking riders after rider, seemingly many riders have overextended their effort early on the climb and is now riding on their absolute limits.
With 250 meters left Bilbao starts his sprint and passes first Alessandro De Marchi and then Romain Bardet, now in 3rd position behind Mollema and Nibali, 150 meters left for Bilbao.
It has started to snow a little.
Spanish Pello Bilbao (29) usually act as a Lieutenant for Astana’s leaders, a super domestic with few result of his own, this season Bilbao have been rather invisible but now where Ion Izagirre has lost time Pello can shine on his own now as the Astana leader in this race.
Pello Bilbao seemingly the only riders with anything left to sprint with, also passing Vincenzo Nibali on the final 50 meters, but it is Bauke Mollema winning the Queen stage at La Molina.
Mollema also takes the King of mountain jersey scoring 47 points on today’s climbs.
Won’t hurt too much for Yevgeniy Gidich handing over the leader jersey as he gives it to teammate Pello Bilbao, leading with 12” to Vincenzo Nibali
Yevgeniy Gidich still lead the U23 and the points classifications.
Dutch Bauke Mollema (32) haven’t had the best season up too this point, with best result 15th in Haut Var Martin, Mollema has 12 professional wins the first a stage in Tour de Pologne back in 2010
Astana Pro Team
Fantastic stage for the team, we got very close to a stage win and kept the GC lead, also Dario Cataldo with an impressive race finishing in top 10 on this difficult stage.
Yevgeniy Gidich lost almost 6 minutes but can’t be blamed he did a fine job staying with Bilbao as long as he could.
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Stage 5 is on paper not as hard as yesterday, we will be riding downhill, almost straight south, from the Pyrenees Mountains. A very late climb in the outskirts of the Prades Mountains will provide for some action and will prevent a mass sprint finish.
The stage starts in Alp the municipality of the Ski Resort La Molina, where we finished yesterday. At the beginning of the 20th century, La Molina was created as the first ski resort in Spain, in 1911 the first official skiing competition was held in La Molina.
Top 5 media favorites:
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky), Davide Formolo (BORA), Romain Bardet (Ag2r), Rigoberto Uran (Education First)
When Cathedral of Santa María de Urgel was consecrated in 893, Alp was mentioned as a parish, the village/town is at least 1100 years old
Race
Nice spring day for cycling with 15°C partly clouded and a light breeze.
Jon Irisarri (Caja Rural) opens the stage in front James Mitri (Burgos) and Lawrence Naesen (Lotto) behind them another group of 9 has laid some distance to the pack.
After about 30 km the two groups joins forces and in the meantime another 4 have attacked from the bunch, with 35 km behind them 17 riders have formed a huge breakaway.
Notable riders in the breakaway is Thomas De Gendt (Lotto) 16 KoM points (+13’20”9), David Lozano (Novo) 15 KoM points (28’48”), Brandon Mcnulty (Rally) 4 KoM points (+20’33), and best placed in GC Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Euskadi) 6 KoM points (+11’18”)
Spanish Jon Irisarri (23) born in Leaburu, Basque Country, started as a trainee at Caja Rural August 2016, his best result so far was 11th in Prueba Villafranca de Ordizia last season
The distance grows to more than 7 minutes over the first half of the stage, but Astana has constantly 2-3 riders working at the front not to make the breakaway a GC threat. Dmitriy Gruzdev, Gorka Izagirre and sometimes even U25 leader Yevgeniy Gidich.
Also Jumbo-Visma, UAE and Bahrain-Merida working a bit from time to time.
Astana works to keep the breakaway under control, but don’t exactly want to bring the bonus seconds into the GC competition
With 2 km to the top of the very late KoM for the breakaway, the peloton start the climb, the distance is 5’22 and it looks like a breakaway win.
In the breakaway Markel Irizar (Trek) takes the KoM
In the peloton we get some attacks on the climb, first Astana’s Dario Cataldo, when he gets caught Vincenzo Nibali. Nibali very dangerous in GC and we soon get a reaction from Romain Bardet and Pello Bilbao working together to catch him.
Italian living legend Vincenzo Nibali (32) won Milano-Sanremo last season, he is just 12” behind race leader Pello Bilbao
The breakaway take the stage win:
Aldemar Reyes (Manzana) attacked over the KoM and just made it to the finish in front of Lawrence Naesen (Lotto Soudal) and Francisco Ventoso (CCC), all 17 riders in the break finish 1'49” in front of the next rider.
This was the first professional win from Colombian Aldemar Reyes, born in Ramiriquí. In 2017 Reyes finished Vuelta a España after a fine race for such a young rider
Between the favourites Vincenzo Nibali first under the red kite, but the favourite group of 22 riders pass him on the last 500 meters, Davide Formolo wins the favourite group sprint but without any impact on the race result. Those 23 riders get the same time.
Notable riders losing time today was Simon Yates, Mikel Landa, Richie Porte, Ilnur Zakarin and U25 leader Yevgeniy Gidich.
No changes in top 10, but some notable riders lost some extra time
Astana Pro Team
We did not lose the race lead and that is the most important.
In U25 Yevgeniy Gidich lost time but his closest rival Sam Oomen lost even more.
The stage start in Cervera about 60 km straight north of where we finished yesterday, from there heading south east over a category 1 climb in Prades Mountains, before we ride east for the finish at PortAventura entertainment resort at the coast just south of Tarragona harbor.
The township of Cervera was formed between 1000 and 1200, after the Moors were forced to retreat further south and area was slowly repopulated. From 1767 to 1835 Cervera was a University City and had its golden age. Today the former University building is declared a cultural monument of national significance.
No media favorites for this stage
PortAventura Amusement park opened in 1995 and in 2002 extended with PortAventura World with a second theme park Ferrari Land and PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park, hotels etc.
Race
It is 20°C and sunny and absolutely no wind, Astana’s Jonas Gregaard Wilsly starts with a cold, he will be allowed to take an easy day.
15 riders form the early breakaway and the peloton is not fast, they get 5’30 over the first uncategorized hill, most notable rider is Alessandro De Marchi (CCC) 47th in GC at 11’58, De Marchi also best in KoM 5th with 31 points.
The break also includes Julien Bernard (Trek) at 11’50, Peter Kennaugh (BORA) at 12’00 and Christopher Juul Jensen (Mitchelton) at 17’36, Jensen got 12 KoM points.
De Marchi attacks for the KoM, only Gustavo César Veloso (W52) and Julien Bernard attempt to follow, Julien Bernard takes it in front of César Veloso
French Julien Bernard (27) started as trainee at Trek in 2015, but is still looking for his first win. Although he haven’t seen many personal results he is a valued domestic finishing four grand tours
56 km left, Astana have been most active at the front of the pack with Gidich and Gruzdev working to keep the breakaway under control, but that will chance now as we get an attack from Dario Cataldo and as soon as he is reeled in a counter attack from Ion Izagirre.
39 km left, distance to Izagirre 1’14” and to the pack 1’43” as Julien Bernard attacks for the 2nd KoM, but Alessandro De Marchi fastest this time, he will move up to a shared KoM lead with Bauke Mollema..
Italian Alessandro De Marchi (32) have won 3 stages in Vuelta a España, never won a stage in his home Grand Tour but close with two podiums.
With a long flat section leading up to the finish line, we might expect a mass sprint finish, but the peloton was undecided and it was Astana leading the pack in a modest pace after Ion Izagirre was reeled in.
Although there was a gap from the breakaway to the pack, no time loss was officially given between the first 100+ riders
It was a very exciting and close sprint, Julien Bernard in front of Robin Carpenter and Alessandro De Marchi took the last podium.
Julien Bernard takes his first professional win at PortAventura, that might be very helpfull with contract negosiations comming up fro him this season
Astana Pro Team
Bilbao did not lose time and everyone got to the line in one piece, against doctors suggestions we will keep a sick Jonas Gregaard in the race, but will use him as little as we can. In U25 Yevgeniy Gidich did not lose time to his rivals either, also still leads the points.
center] Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (WT) 13/3-19/3 2019
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Stage 7: Barcelona – Barcelona 121.3 km
The stage start in the center of Barcelona, from there the first half of the slage is one lap up to Castellbisbal and then down to Castelldefels by the coast south of the city before heading back to the center, the 2nd and hardest half of the stage is 8 small laps over Montjuïc hill.
Alto de Montjuïc is 1.8 km at 6.1%, with 8 laps definitely hard enough to split the peloton and like to reduce the favorite group dramatically but the question remains if it is hard enough to create important time gaps between the very best.
A stone age settlement dating back to 5500-5000 BC, have been found with tombs and dwellings in what is today “El Raval” neighborhood in the center of Barcelona. From about 200 BC the Romans took over and from 15BC a fortified military camp was created in what was still just a small town, but the town grew in size and wealth during Roman occupation, and under Visigoth rule it was in a period capital of all Hispania territories.
Top 5 media favorites:
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Michal Kwiatkowski (Sky), Davide Formolo (BORA), Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb), Rigoberto Uran (Education First)
Montjuïc plays a vital part in Ildefonso Falcones famous historical novel La Catedral del Mar (Cathedral of the Sea) as the main character Arnau Estanyol becomes one of the cathedral's stone workers and carries the heavy stones from the quarry at the hill and down to the Cathedral in the city – A Stone Carrier is represented on the doors of the main entrance.
Race
It is 15°C and partly sunny with moderate wind.
Angel Madrazo (Burgos) opens the stage and soon the race starts with an explosion of riders attacking, after just 15 km 27 riders are in front of the peloton. It ends up with a breakaway of 26 riders over the 2nd climb they got 2’04.
Sergey Chernetckii (Caja Rural) takes the first two KoM’s, he started as 14th in KoM with 21 points, at +12’03 in GC. Other notable rider in the break worth mentioning is Richie Porte (Trek) at 9’14”, Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) at 9’29, Garikoitz Bravo Oiarbide (Euskadi) at 9’29”, Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton) 10’03” and best in KoM Jack Bauer (Mitchelton) 12th with 23 points.
Russian Sergey Chernetckii (28) have had a fine season, 4th in Tour de La Provence and 3rd in Classic de l'Ardèche, last season he won Arctic Race of Norway at the time riding with Astana
In the peloton we get a crash, Simon Yates down.
Astana have been very active in the pursuit, but now where the breakaway is formed and things have settled they are not too interested it setting a high pace, now Quick Step, Movistar and Sky doing most of the work.
56 km left and we get another crash, this time 26 riders down, Uran, Konrad, Pozzovivo, Dunbar, Oomen, Carapaz. Many more delayed but soon back in the pack.
After some 20 km the mentioned rider who crashed are all back.
Sergey Chernetckii continues to win the KoM climbs and with just one left he is now in virtual lead.
Many riders down today despite the good conditions, Simon Yates the first of the GC contenders
Sergey Chernetckii takes the final KoM and will win the overall mountain jersey.
Over the last hill Angel Madrazo (Burgos), Hugh Carthy (Education First) and Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto Soudal) opens a small gap in the leading group.
After the penultimate KoM’s Carlos Betancur and Andrey Amador (Movistar) keep up the pace in the bunch, we are now a few hundred meters from the top of the last uncategorized passing of Montjuïc hill, with just 6.7 km left for the peloton.
We get an attack from the pack led by Kwiatkowski, at his wheel Kelderman, Nibali, Valverde, Kruijswijk and Fabio Aru, but the attack comes to late and it seems to be no problem for Izagirre closing it down with Bilbao at his wheel. The pack is at 1’47” and the stage is in the hands of those left in the breakaway.
Tomasz Marczynski wins the last stage of Volta a Catalunya in Barcelona, Hugh Carthy 2nd and Angel Madrazo 3rd. Another 11 riders from the breakaway comes in at +20.
Polish Tomasz Marczynski (35) takes his first season win, this is Marczynski’s 5th start in Cataluny, but he only came through one time before that was in 2012.
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Pello Bilbao wins the peloton sprint, and with that he becomes the overall winner of the race, Vincenzo Nibali 2nd and Romain Bardet 3rd.
Yevgeniy Gidich points and U25 winner, as mentioned Sergey Chernetckii wins the KoM having an amazing last stage.
This was the first win of the season for Spanish Pello Bilbao (29), his latest win was a stage in Critérium du Dauphiné last season. Bilbao has never won an overall GC in a stage race before.
Astana Pro Team
No less than a perfect race for us.
The only sad thing is that Dario Cataldo never got to the finish line, his hand was hit hard in a crash and he might have broken something.
and now Bilbao with the lead 
