The Volta a Catalunya (March 21-27) has revealed the full menu of the two mountain stages which include uphill finishes in La Molina - which will be climbed twice - and Port Ainé one the third and fourth days, respectively.
The Catalan WorldTour race will be decided in two intense stages. Girona will be the starting point of the third stage, which will include the Alt de Coubet, almost ten kilometers at 5.5% in the first half and a demanding finale with the long Alt de Toses, 25 kilometers at 4.3%, and a double ascent to the ski resort of La Molina, 11 kilometers at 4.4%. Tejey van Garderen won at that finish in 2015 and Joaquim Rodriguez in 2014.
The next day, the start will be in Baga and the stage will include th, 26 kilometers at 4.7%, Port d'Enviny (8km/5.75%) and a finish on Port Aine, 19 kilometers at 6.3%. Daniel Martin won there in 2013 and the race could not reach the finish in 2012 due to bad weather.
Many ski resorts have featured in recent editions of the Tour: Port Aine (2012 and 2013), Vallter 2000 (2013 and 2014) and Molina (2013, 2014 and 2015).
Richie Porte won the race in 2015, with Valverde, Pozzovivo, Contador, Uran and Aru completing the top 6. Joaquim Rodriguez won in 2010 and 2014, Daniel Martin in 2013, Michael Albasini in 2012, Michele Scarponi in 2011 and Alejandro Valverde in 2009.
Olot (2nd), Valls (5th) and the Montjuic climb in Barcelona (7th) are the other known finishes. Alberto Contador, Nairo Quintana, Joaquim Rodriguez and Romain Bardet have included the Volta in their calendars.
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