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Dan Martin seizes lead of Volta a Catalunya with mountain win

March 23, 2016
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Irishman Dan Martin took his second victory for new team Etixx-QuickStep with a strong kick on Wednesday’s first mountain stage of the Volta a Catalunya. Champion of the 2013 edition, Martin grabbed the race lead.

The first mountain stage was sure to create a larger breakaway, and seven riders slipped away soon after the start in Girona. The septet rolled up a 12-minute lead after 25-km, a gap that decreased once the slopes of the first of four Cat. 1 climbs kicked up. It was Dutchman Huub Duijn (Roompot) who went over the Alt de Coubet first.

In the peloton, race leader Nacer Bouhanni (France/Cofidis) was among the riders who tailed off the back. Suddenly, word came that Bouhanni had climbed off his bike, having succumbed to illness.

Ahead, the break was grunting along on the long uphill run-up to the Alt de Toses–from the intermediate sprint point in Ripoli, the course ascended for 40-km. By the time Duijn nipped over the top, the gap was down to 3:30 under the impetus of Movistar and Katusha. The next abandon surprise was Tom Dumoulin (The Netherlands/Giant-Alpecin).

The stage concluded with two passages of La Molina, where the temperatures were low and the winds blustery. Duijn and Alex Howes (USA/Cannondale) carried on from the breakaway and started their first climb of La Molina, 10-km of 4.5% with the ditches still filled with snow. As the peloton edged closer, Duijn’s teammate and compatriot Pieter Weening bridged over and then ran solo. Sky took over the pace-making in the bunch.

Weening negotiated the little bowl at the top of the climb and then plummeted with a 50-second gap. However, in the first couple of kilometres of the second clamber up La Molina, Weening was absorbed. Young rider jersey holder Louis Vervaeke (Belgium/Lotto-Soudal), who had joined Weening, carried on alone.

Vervaeke surrendered with 4-km to go. A 25-rider group entered the bowl. Sky’s Dutchman Wout Poels lit the fireworks when the road tipped up again. Richie Porte (Australia/BMC) and Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) both looked dangerous in attacking. But Martin powered by Quintana and held off a stiff effort from Alberto Contador to take a famous triumph.

Top Canadian Michael Woods of Cannondale was 22-seconds behind Martin, with gave him 22nd on GC. Cannondale was second only to Sky for most riders in the top-25 on the day, with Davide Formolo (Italy) seventh and Colombian Rigoberto Uran eleventh.

Thursday is the queen stage, shoehorning a Cat. 1 and two Especial climbs, including the summit finish on Port Ainé, into the last half of 172-km.

2016 Volta a Catalunya Stage 3
1) Dan Martin (Ireland/Etixx-QuickStep) 5:00:27
2) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff) +0:02
3) Romain Bardet (France/AG2R) s.t.
21) Michael Woods (Canada/Cannondale) +0:22
132) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Trek-Segafredo) +19:58
149) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +21:17

2016 Volta a Catalunya GC
1) Dan Martin (Ireland/Etixx-QuickStep) 14:08:18
2) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff) +0:06
3) Romain Bardet (France/AG2R) +0:08
22) Michael Woods (Canada/Cannondale) +0:32
128) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +21:27
164) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Trek-Segafredo) +28:44

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