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Michael Woods runner-up on Volta a Catalunya queen stage, now 13th overall

Esteban Chaves takes first win in 664 days

March 25, 2021
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Michael Woods was the runner-up on Thursday’s queen stage of the Volta a Catalunya, a performance that vaulted him up to 13th on GC. Colombian Esteban Chaves (Bike Exchange), runner-up on Wednesday, took his first victory in 664 days atop HC-rated Port Ainé, pulling himself closer to the podium. It was a fine day for Bike Exchange, as Grace Brown also won the third round of the Women’s WorldTour, Brugge-De Panne. Adam Yates kept his lead with three stages to go.

You can watch the 100th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya at FloBikes.

The Course

Thursday’s fare was three climbs, the Cat. 1 Port de Toses (3.7 km of 9.1 percent), which came early in the route, and then the HC-rated Port d’El Cantó before the summit finish HC-rated Port Ainé, 18.6 km at 6.3 percent. It was up and down all day.

Altimetry like this was sure to elicit a large breakaway, and sure enough a dozen fellows broke free on the Port de Toses. Lennard Kämna (Germany/Bora-Hansgrohe) was the best positioned on GC, +1:33 on Adam Yates. The intrepid dozen tipped over the crest and started the 20-km descent to the foot of Port d’El Cantó with a small gap.

As they set off to scale Port d’El Cantó, the escapees had nearly 3:00 on the peloton. Kämna bolted on his breakmates and crested with a 1:37 gap over the breakaway and a 3:30 lead over the Ineos-powered peloton.

Port Ainé summit finish

The peloton retrieved the chase group before the final climb began. Kämna’s gap was down to 2:16 when he started to climb again.

The solo German began to tire, and Ineos pulled him back with 14.5 to race. The Grenadiers carried on with their usual stultifying pace at the front.

Steven Kruijswijk put in the first attack with 10 km remaining, but all for naught–he would be dropped soon after coming back to the peloton. Chaves, who has on the podium of the 2016 Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, was the next to launch.

Chaves is back.

With just under 4 km to go, Enric Mas burst from the favourites group, but he wasn’t able to bridge. Chaves’ lead was 19 seconds with 2 km remaining.

Bike Exchange’s Colombian really had to fight in the final kilometre. Woods led a small group across the line 7 seconds after the day’s winner.

Alejandro Valverde and Wilco Kelderman will be looking to break up Ineos’ stranglehold on the podium in the next three hilly stages.

2021 Volta a Catalunya Stage 4
1) Esteban Chaves (Colombia/Bike Exchange) 4:29:47
2) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +0:07
3) Geraint Thomas (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) s.t.
97) Alex Cataford (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +27:24
108) Rob Britton (Canada/Rally) s.t.
118) Antoine Duchesne (Canada/Groupama-FDJ) +28:50
138) Nick Zukowsky (Canada/Rally) +33:06

2021 Volta a Catalunya GC
1) Adam Yates (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) 14:14:15
2) Richie Porte (Australia/Ineos Grenadiers) +0:45
3) Geraint Thomas (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) +0:49
4) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +1:03
5) Wilco Kelderman (The Netherlands/Bora-Hansgrohe) s.t.
6) Esteban Chaves (Colombia/Bike Exchange) +1:04
13) Michael Woods (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +1:48
83) Rob Britton (Canada/Rally) +40:20
128) Alex Cataford (Canada/Israel Start-up Nation) +55:42
137) Antoine Duchesne (Canada/Groupama-FDJ) +59:13
142) Nick Zukowsky (Canada/Rally) +1:04:38