The 103rd edition of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya will have high finishes in two FGC ski resorts
It will be the eighth time that Vallter will be the protagonist of a stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
The high mountain hardness and the prestige of the high arrivals will once again be the hallmark of the Cycling Tour to Cataloniathat in the next few days March 18 and 24, 2024 will once again bring the best world cycling on Catalan roads. The hill stations of Vallter and Port Ainé FGC They will be the protagonists of two stage finishes in the next edition, which are added to the already announced finale in Queralt. In this way, and with the announcement of the arrivals to Vallter and Port Ainé, it will be a 103rd edition of the Catalan round that plans to return to being one of the toughest in history.
The Volta a Catalunya 2024 confirms in its route two stages ending in the mountain stations of Vallter and Port Ainé. The two Pyrenean ports of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya, two great names in the modern history of the race where some of the biggest names in recent international cycling have won, ensure the Catalan race some prestigious high mountain stages, with great toughness and an undeniable appeal for the great specialists in stage tours of the international peloton.
It will be the eighth time that Vallter will be the protagonist of a stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. Since its premiere in 1986 with the victory of Juan Fernández, names of relevance such as Tony Rominger (1992), Nairo Quintana (2013), Tejay Van Garderen (2014), Adam Yates (2019 and 2021) and Giulio Ciccone (in the last edition, 2023) have achieved victory at the Pyrenean peak.
Two special stations: Vallter and Port Ainé
Vallter is the cycling roof of Catalonia, a special category port that reaches the 2,150 meters and that has become a reference for cycle tourism. His more than 11 kilometers promotion from Setcases with a average gradient of 7.6% They have vertical signage throughout the entire climb.
For its part, Port Aine has been uploaded four times before the history of the Voltahosting arrivals at altitude in the 2021 editions (victory of the Colombian Esteban Chaves), 2016 (one of the five victories in the Belgian icon’s Catalan career Thomas De Gendt) and 2013 (solo triumph for the Irish Daniel Martin which would earn him victory in the final overall). It was also planned for the 2012 edition, but weather conditions forced a finish line in Canturri, with victory for the Slovenian. Janez Brajkov.
So that, The Catalan round will visit Port Ainé again three years after its last visitonce again offering fans the possibility of enjoying the best cyclists in the world in a colossal climb: a climb 18.5 km long, with an average gradient of 6.8% and maximum ramps of up to 15%
FGC, one more bet on the Volta
“Like every year, we revalidate our commitment and connection with the Volta, a top-level annual event that places us in a great international showcase. The Volta allows us to revalidate our commitment to the territory and to high-competition sport, as we already do in other sporting disciplines. Hosting two arrivals, such as Vallter and Port Ainé, allows us to project to the world not only our stations, but also their surroundings, the natural parks where they are located, their natural and landscape wealth, and helps us expand our activity beyond the snow white The Ferrocarrils mountain stations are there 365 days a year to enjoy, develop activities related to sports and nature, to get to know the territory, its gastronomy, its culture, and this is our reason for being present. The collaboration with La Volta is a great element that helps us shape this diversification of our offer”said the president of Railways of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Toni Segarra.
“The confirmation of two stages finished high in ports of the entity of Vallter and Port Ainé is a show guarantee for the Return to Catalonia next 2024. It is a pleasure for us to have the collaboration of the FGC mountain stations to continue making the Volta a reference race in international cycling, where fans will surely be able to enjoy a great cycling festival in a few exceptional scenarios,” stated the president of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Rubèn Peris.
A route with three arrivals at altitude
The 103rd edition of the Volta will once again be one of the great mountain challenges of the UCI World Tou calendarr. With the confirmation of the presence on the route of the two mountain stations of Railways of the Generalitat of Catalonia, the Volta 2024 ensures a route with three arrivals at altitudeafter a few weeks ago the dispute of a stage in Berguedà with an end in Queralt was announced.
This figure was already experienced in the last edition of the race, that I have endings in Vallter, La Molina and Lo Portbut it is an exceptional event that has not been experienced before since the 2001 edition.
One more incentive to raise expectations for the 103rd edition of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunyawhich will take place from March 18 to 24, 2024.
In search of a new relief
The Volta will look for a new winner with the presence of the best teams and cyclists in the world leaving Sant Feliu of Guixols. The last one was the Slovenian Primoz Roglic. The specific location of the stages and the rest of their routes will be revealed over the coming weeks.