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Volta a Catalunya repeated attacks and absorptions, resulting in a sprint for the second consecutive day. U23 World Champion Axel Laurence (France, Alpecin Deceuninck) defeated the previous day’s winners Van den Bergh and Kokart to claim his first World Tour victory.
Tadej Pogačar (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates) wearing the leader’s jersey on stage 5 photo: CorVos
The 103rd Volta a Catalunya is on the fifth day of the second half. The stage is a course that goes inland from the seaside Altafra, and then heads back to Villa d’Acannes on the sea side. Immediately after the start, the participants gradually gained altitude while clearing the second-class mountain, and there was also a second-class mountain with about 30km remaining, so it was predicted that it would not be a simple group sprint.
Because the layout allows for a complete escape, an attack aimed at making an escape breaks out immediately after the actual start flag is lowered. As a result, at one point, nine players were able to escape, including leading players such as Geraint Thomas (England, Ineos Grenadiers) and Attila Walter (Hungary, Wisma Liesabijk). However, the main group decided that this was dangerous, and with 85km remaining, five more people escaped.
In the early stages, Attila Walter (Hungary, Wisma Risvajku) and other nine players formed a breakout photo: CorVos
Enzo Parreni (France, Groupama FDJ) replacing a broken shoe after a runaway ride photo: ASO
Among them, Ineos will send Oscar Rodriguez from Spain, while EF Education Easy Post, aiming for a second consecutive win, will send 22-year-old Georg Steinhauser (Germany). By the time they entered the final Class 2 mountain, the gap had narrowed to 30 seconds, with Michael Woods (Canada) setting the pace for Stephen Williams (Britain, Premier Tech, Israel) on a climb with an average gradient of 6%. raised.
As van den Berg was delayed by Israel’s high-speed tow, Rodriguez, who had once fallen behind, joined Steinhauser, who had taken the lead alone. The two of them built a good cooperative system, but on the way down they were absorbed by the peloton, and with the acceleration of Valentin Parépintre (France, Decathlon AG2R La Mondial), eight others including Chris Harper (Australia, Jayco Alouler) took over. The leading group of was formed. But it was pulled back again by Israel’s hard work.
As the group’s pace slowed, a chasing group including sprinters Van den Bergh and Brian Cocard (France, Cofidis) joined up. Juan López (Spain, Riddle Trek), who attacked on the final descent of the mountain, tried again, and sporadic accelerations after that failed to settle down. As a result, the race turned into a group sprint for two consecutive days.
Tadej Pogacar running in the peloton (Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates) photo: CorVos
Entering the long final straight, the lead of the group shifted from Alpecin Deceuninck to EF and then Decathlon. The sprint battle began with 200 meters remaining, and Van den Berg took the lead as Patrick Konrad (Austria, Riddle Trek) struggled to improve his speed. Cocard lined up behind him, and Axel Laurence (France, Alpecin Deceuninck) stepped in next to him, arriving first.
Axel Laurence (France, Alpecin Deceuninck) won the sprint with Van den Bergh and Cocard photo: CorVos
“It’s unbelievable. This is my first World Tour win in my first year with the World Team. Today was the toughest stage with repeated attacks, and I was excited as I approached the final stages,” said Laurence, reflecting on the race.
Laurence is a 22-year-old who won last year’s U23 Road World Championship. He made his professional debut at B&B Hotels in 2022 with his KTM and was promoted to the top team this year via Alpecin’s junior team after the team disbanded. He achieved his first victory after transferring at the second stage of the Etoile de Bésage (UCI 2.1) in February of this year, and in this tournament he came close to winning, finishing fifth in each section in the first and fourth stages.
Van den Berg came in second place, followed by Kokar in third place. And in the past, Venezuelan champion Oluis Aural (Cajral Seguros RGA), who belonged to the Matrix Power tag, came in 4th place.
Axel Laurence (France, Alpecin Deceuninck) gets his first victory on the World Tour photo: CorVos
