Peter Sagan earns first win of the season at Volta a Catalunya
"Tony the Tiger" Duchesne in the day's breakaway
Photo by:
Sirotti
Peter Sagan fully launched his season on Saturday, as he took his first win of 2021 in a field sprint on the penultimate stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. It was his 115th career victory. Sagan had to recover from COVID-19 that he caught in February. Adam Yates kept the race lead and Michael Woods retained his 13th spot on GC.
You can watch the 100th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya at FloBikes.
The Course
Even though there was a Cat. 3 climb close to the finish and a decidedly non-flat run-in to the line, it looked like a rare opportunity for the fast men.
A new day for the breakaway at the #Voltacatalunya100 or will the peloton fight for victory today in Mataro? pic.twitter.com/7JTXBCAk4h
— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) March 27, 2021
Canada’s “Tony the Tiger” Duchesne was part of a five-man breakaway that wasn’t allowed much free rein.
The catch came soon after the race took a lap of the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona motorcar race and test track. This early capture elicited several attacks but all were brought back.
Sagan was well-positioned and effectively delivered into the final 250-metres where bhe burst from the pack and held off Woods’ teammate Daryl Impey.
The Slovakian had to delay his race season until the beginning of March, but his fourth place in Milan-San Remo and his win on Saturday show that he is on form. Although he is skipping the first races of the Flanders Week–E3, Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlanderen–he’ll contest the Tour of Flanders next Sunday.
The Volta a Catalunya concludes Sunday with a very tough day that includes six climbs of Montjuïc in the hills around Barcelona.
2021 Volta a Catalunya Stage 6
1) Peter Sagan (Slovakia/Bora-Hansgrohe) 4:23:18
2) Daryl Impey (South Africa/Israel Start-up Nation) s.t.
3) Juan Sebastián Molano (Colombia) UAE-Team Emirates s.t
2021 Volta a Catalunya GC
1) Adam Yates (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) 23:08:45
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
