Volta a Catalunya to miss main climb of toughest stage because of high winds

AMPOSTA SPAIN MARCH 28 Laurens De Plus of Belgium and Team INEOS Grenadiers leads the peloton during the 104th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2025 Stage 5 a 1659km stage from Pauls to Amposta UCIWT on March 28 2025 in Amposta Spain Photo by Szymon GruchalskiGetty Images
Strong winds on stage 5 of Volta a Catalunya were evident throughout the day and created echelons (Image credit: Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)

Forecasts of high winds have played havoc with the Volta a Catalunya's toughest mountain stage this year, with race organisers forced to suspend the mid-stage ascent of the hors categorie Col de Pradell on Saturday.

Stage 6 will be drastically reduced in length as a consequence, from 159km to just 118km, but the final category 1 summit finish of Queralt will remain in place. The other two ascents, the Col de Battaola (Cat. 3) and Collada de San Isidro (Cat. 1), are also still part of the dramatically-revised route.

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.

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