Mike Woods: Volta a Catalunya stage 6 could be one of the hardest I've ever seen

Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech)
Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) (Image credit: Getty Images)

Veteran Canadian climber Michael Woods has more than his fair share of experience in brutally tough mountain racing, but he warns that Saturday's stage 6 of the Volta a Catalunya, which includes the unprecedented ascent of the ultra-difficult Coll de Pradell, "could potentially be one of the toughest stages I’ve ever seen." 

Featuring some unremittingly steep ascents in its final 5km, the Coll de Pradell is 60km from the first-category summit finish in Queralt, with another first-category climb, the Collada de Sant Isidre, coming between the two.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.