Wout Poels saved what has been a very disappointing race for Sky by taking an impressive solo win for the British team on stage 5 of the Volta a Catalunya. After joining an 8-rider group after a frantic start to the stage, he dropped his companions on the final climb and then held off four chasers on the descent to take the win. Dario Cataldo (Astana) beat Gaetan Bille (Wanty) in the sprint for second while Nairo Quintana (Movistar) lost one second to Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) due to bonuses an intermediate sprint.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Triumphant Wout Poels: That was a cool one

Wout Poels pulled off a magnificent solo victory on stage five at the Volta a Catalunya with a late attack.

 

The Dutchman raced aggressively for the second day in succession and was rewarded handsomely with a classy win into Valls, fending off his fellow breakaway members by 11 seconds at the line.

 

After making multiple attempts to get up the road, Poels finally pushed clear in an 18-strong move, before powering clear with 14 kilometres to go on the Alt de Lilla.

 

Cresting the climb he held a slender advantage on a chasing group featuring two former team-mates, but just had enough in reserve to get his arms in the air.

 

Dario Cataldo (Astana) beat home Gaetan Bille (Wanty Groupe Goubert) and Kanstantsin Siutsou (Dimension Data) in the fight for the podium places, while Ben Swift took 10th on the day from the bunch sprint.

 

After patrolling the front of the peloton late on, Chris Froome finished safely in the pack to remain eighth overall, 46 seconds behind Nairo Quintana (Movistar).

 

With two days remaining, the race leader saw his advantage trimmed to seven seconds after Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) snagged a bonus second at the intermediate sprint in Ager.

 

Team Sky began the day with a reduced six-man unit, following the abandonment of Ian Boswell on Thursday and Geraint Thomas not starting the stage, instead choosing to rest up in the days before the Tour of Flanders.

 

"That was a cool one," Poels told TeamSky.com from back on the bus.

 

"We wanted to do something for Swifty today but we also wanted to keep the options open a little bit so we didn't have to ride. It was a really, really hard stage but it worked out well in the end.

 

"I was a little bit nervous, especially in the last two kilometres they came really close. I think I always look behind me a little bit too much but it was okay in the end.

 

"It was a bit similar to my win at Tirreno last year, only this time it was a little bit further to the finish! On the downhill was not the best place to be alone, but I had to attack on the climb as I did not want to wait for the sprint. Sometimes I know I can do a good effort, and in this case it was a final 10 kilometre TT. Everything or nothing. And it worked out good!

 

"We tried to attack early but we also had to protect Swifty (Ben Swift) for the sprint. It was a really tough race, complicated to control. In the end I found myself in the break and it worked pretty well.

 

"They were good breakaway companions and we worked well together. I knew the last climb as we had done it last year. I knew that to win I had to attack there ... actually it was the right attack, and I ended up alone. So it's not bad.”

 

The victory was also a special one for Sport Director Brett Lancaster, who had a front-row seat for his first success in the team car.

 

"It was really incredible," said the Aussie.

 

"The race had been going well over 100km at full speed and the break just wasn't going. Initially there was a group of 25 and we decided to pull it back for Swifty. Even Chris chipped in and helped pull it back. Then Wout just slipped into the move. I think everyone was quite tired and that stage, and when he got out there he was joking "oh what am I doing here?" Typical Wout - having a bit of a laugh.

 

"He kept tapping away and we decided if it came to the climb we'd just go for one big attack. We didn't want it to come to a sprint. I was getting pretty excited on the microphone. Towards the end he kept looking back. And I kept telling him 'don't look back!' For me personally, when I got out of the car I was shaking. It was the first experience of my whole life like that. It was really something else. Then we came back to the bus and watched the rest of E3. Obviously the guys went incredible there. The spirit and the ambience on the bus was incredible. A very big day!"

Dario Cataldo critical of Verona after second place in Catalonia

“It’s a real pity because I was feeling very good in the final but unfortunately someone in the escape did not collaborate as he could and we missed a few metres to catch the winner,” said a disappointed Dario Cataldo immediately after crossing the finish line.

 

“When Poels attacked us on the last climb, I had two different tactic situations: Verona told me he would collaborate because of the fact that he could recover some positions in the GC. Then he didn’t collaborate and this fact slowed our action a lot. It’s a real shame because we were close enough to do the sprint for the stage victory,” explained the Italian of the Astana Pro Team.

 

"It really leaves a bitter taste because I felt really good. It is a finish that I knew and I knew I could do well. I had correctly calculated the time because when Poels left, I knew it would be difficult to follow his attack. "

 

”Then I wanted to chase but Verona wanted to be clever and he slowed down the pursuit and that's howended up like this. Verona was the general classification threat. He said he was going to work but he slowed us. If I had known that, I would have attacked earlier to try to catch Poels on the climb rather than keeping him with me thinking he could help me. It does this not happen like that. Never mind.”

 

“At least, I’m satisfied with the fact that the good condition is coming as a reward for all the work done in the past weeks,” concluded Cataldo.

 

Gaetan Bille confirms his potential with third place at WorldTour level

Gaëtan Bille finished third in the fifth stage of Volta a Catalunya today. With the eighth place of Enrico Gasparotto, Wanty-Groupe Gobert had a second rider in the top ten of the day. 

The stage between Rialp and Valls was the longest of the week-long race (187,2 kilometres) but by far the fastest. Within four hours of racing Wout Poels was the first to cross the finish line. 

“I tried several times today to be in the breakaway because today would be a day where the break would stand a good chance to make it all the way to the line. After two hours and 15 minutes of racing we finally got clear with eight riders. Frederik Veuchelen was also with me.”

The breakaway gained a maximum lead of four minutes and would, as expected, not be threatened by the peloton. The Alt de Lilla, a second category climb at only ten kilometres from the finish would be decisive.

”On that final climb, Poels attacked," Bille continues. "I didn't have the strength to follow him. I therefore stayed with three other guys from the original break. A third place was today's result  which is a good result because the level is really high here. I am happy with how I feel after my Volta a Valencia crash but in my head I had hoped for more." 

Enrico Gasparotto sprinted to 8th place in the bunch - his third top ten in five days. Thomas Degand sits 23rd in the overall classification after two hard mountain stages. He still has a top 20 in sight.

 

Kanstantsin Siutsou bounces back from injury with fourth place in Catalunya

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka were part of all the early attacks and when the all-important 8 rider escape did eventually go clear, Kanstanstin Siutsou made sure he was there to represent the African Team. 

 

With 15km to go, Poels threw caution to the wind and attacked the break. The Team Sky rider put 15 seconds into Cataldo, Bille, Verona and Siutsou while the rest of the break dropped. 15 seconds was all that Poels needed over the final 10km as Siutsou and the other chasers weren't able to bring the Dutchman back. The Belorussian had to settle for 4th place at the line, a strong result on a really tough day.

 

Siutsou said:
 

“I still haven't been feeling 100% after my crash in Andalucia. My ribs are still pretty sore so normally I wouldn't be in the break on a stage like today but when there was still no break after 65km, I thought maybe I could try something on the climb. I tried on the climb and after my effort I really thought now the break will go. When I looked back it was still one long line. Then 4 guys attacked and I tried one more time, I got across and a few guys followed me to finally make the break.

 

”We were riding well at first and got a good gap. When Poels attacked, our group split but with 14km to go I spoke to the guys and told them we can catch him if we work together. Cataldo and I worked well and the Wanty rider as well, but when Verona started missing turns then everyone starts looking at each other. So even though Poels was only at 5 seconds with 5km, with no collaboration you will not catch a rider in that position.

 

”It is a little disappointing because I would have preferred to come to the line together. Even though I know with the pain in my ribs I probably wasn't going to be that fast in the finish I would have been happier to be in contention. That is how it goes though.

 

”For the team it was good to be in the front and also for my head and the morale, today's ride was good. There is a lot to look forward to.”

 

Carlos Verona: I can’t say I am satisfied with fifth

Many teams were interested in the first intermediate sprint of stage 5, and it was Daniel Martin who took three seconds there, after being launched by an excellent Gianni Meersman.

 

Eventually, things calmed down, and a break got a green light from the bunch. Eight riders made their way to the front, one of them being Carlos Verona, the 23-year-old who helped Dan Martin so much on the previous two days.

 

Carlos Verona was fifth, notching his best result of the season, while the peloton came half a minute later. Dan Martin finished safely in the pack, and thanks to the bonifications he took on the road he is now just 4 seconds off the podium.

 

"Today it was difficult to have a break. After more than 100 kilometers we made it into the escape and we worked together quite fine. When Poels attacked, we tried to follow, but it was difficult. Fifth place is a good result, but I can't say I'm satisfied, and that's why if there will be another opportunity, I will go for it. On the other hand, I am happy with the way the team rode here this week and how strong it was", said Carlos Verona after Friday's stage.

Simon Gerrans misses out on repeat win in Valls

Santos Tour Down Under winner Simon Gerrans showed his speed today to take the bunch sprint for 6th place on stage five of the WorldTour race Volta Catalunya.

 

Unfortunately for Gerrans and his ORICA-GreenEDGE teammates, the chasing peloton left it a little too late and a breakaway that formed with 60kilometres remaining, managed to stay away and take the top five spots. Wouter Poels (Team Sky) timed his effort to win solo ahead of the other four breakaway riders.

 

Having previously won a stage into Valls, Gerrans showed his ambition before the start and was confident of his chances.

 

"I think the stage could suit myself and Daryl Impey," explain Gerrans. "We have a couple of good options and I think our best chances are winning from a small group sprint, so hopefully that's the scenario."

 

To ORICA-GreenEDGE's disadvantage, the scenario didn't unfold the way Gerrans had hoped. Nevertheless Sport director Neil Stephens explained how he was happy with the way the team raced today, doing all the right things and that it is something they can take away from today's stage.

 

"We will analyse the stage to see what we could have done better, but everybody did a good job today. The climbers executed their roles well, the finish went well, so I don't think we could have done things much better, hats off to a great ride by Poels.

"It was a really fast start for the first 120km until the breakaway went. We had two guys off the back, so we had to wait for those guys to come back, then we had really good co-operation with the other teams and chased really hard. The guys out the front were just going too hard for us, so they did a great job to stay away.

 

"Simon has won here before, so today was a good stage for us, it was probably a bit of a better chance for us than tomorrow, but we will give it a good crack again, whether it's in the breakaway or whether it's in the sprint.

 

"The main thing from today was we got the work ethic right, the way we executed things and today ok we weren't up for the win itself but everybody did their role well. The cards didn't quite aline for us in the finish and we were beaten by a great bike rider in the end."

 

In-form Alexey Tsatevich close to victory in Catalunya

The 96th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya featured a successful solo breakaway with a large group chasing to bring back the winner. In the hard-chasing group was Team KATUSHA’s Alexey Tsatevich who continues to show improving form at this year’s race.

 

”The race was very fast from the beginning and for a long time nobody could go away. I thought it could be a good opportunity for me in the sprint, but later a group of riders went away. The team was very strong today and my teammates did a great job to bring the break back. In the final we caught three guys, but still five riders were in front and took the stage win. I sprinted from the main pack and finished second, but it was only 7th place in the race. It's a pity, because it was a good chance for me today,” said team rider Alexey Tsatevich.

 

The top of the leader board didn’t change with Ilnur Zakarin still in seventh place at 42-seconds for Team KATUSHA behind leader Nairo Quintana of Movistar.

 

Alberto Contador sprints to bonus second in Catalunya

With the drama of the mountains at an end, the racing was far from over. A flatter parcours may not have presented the opportunities to create bigger time gaps, but Alberto Contador took time where he found it. Reducing the gap on the GC Leader to seven seconds, the Tinkoff leader crossed the line in Valls safely, and ready to race another day.

 

The Volta a Catalunya left the mountains in today’s stage, covering a rolling 187.2km route that, while taking in three climbs – two of which were categorised – presented little in the way of opportunities to create time gaps. In spite of this, Tinkoff’s leader took every opportunity he could, taking third in the sprint on the climb of the Port d’Ager, and gaining a second’s bonus, reducing the GC gap to seven seconds.

 

“Today's stage wasn't really suited to attacks,” observed Contador after the race “I saw there was an uphill intermediate sprint and since the breakaway wasn't formed yet I gave it a shot. I was only able to get one bonus second but the most important thing was to stay alert and get to the finish well.”

 

The fast start to the stage made it more challenging for the GC contenders to take time in the sprints early on. After a small break of eight formed later in the day, Wouter Poels, the Team Sky rider who won the stage, broke away with 15km to go, managing to solo away from the break and take the win.

 

The Spanish rider continued: “It was a very fast race and it was impressive to see the breakaway form only after 110-115km. After all these days of racing this effort takes its toll even more and it's fundamental to rest and recover now."

 

Sport Director, Sean Yates, knew the early stages of the race would be important for Contador to reduce the gap on the GC leader.

 

“It was a pretty fast and furious day with a very fast start downhill into the valley, before we turned right towards the first climb. That was where he first bonus sprint was, and as there was no one up the road we went for it with Alberto getting third and a bonus second.”

 

In a stage that saw plenty of aggressive riding, and a solo breakaway taking the stage win, the GC contenders were untroubled by the breaks, as Yates continued.

 

“The attacks came and went, and finally after a few hours of racing the break stuck with a small group going clear. The bunch wasn't overly concerned for the GC and the gap went out to four minutes before the chase really started. Over the last climb a reduced bunch was closing in behind the bunch was closing in, with Alberto there with Jesper. “

 

Two stages of the race remain, and in spite of the flatter terrain, there are still opportunities left to make up time. Stage 6 is the Volta’s longest stage, at 197.2km in length, and an early sprint represents a chance to gain more seconds. As Sean Yates observed from today’s finish, every second counts.

 

“Overall, status quo was maintained today, but with Alberto moving a second closer. We know that one second can make a difference, and if the opportunities are there then we're obviously going to take them. You're limited by the terrain as to what you can do, but there's still two more days and we'll see what we can come up with. It's not over until Sunday.”

 

“We now have to see have the remaining days will play out.” said Contador of the days to come. “It's true the GC will be very difficult to get but we still have two days left. I'll have to stay focused because anything can happen. We'll see tomorrow.”

 

Ben Gastauer sets Romain Bardet up for attack in Catalonia

"It was very fast all day,” Ag2r’s Ben Gastauer said. “The breakaway went after 110km. Even after that, the race was still very nervous with the wind. On the last climb, Roman wanted to try so I launched him. Early in the stage, I did not really feel good but the feeling got better with every kilometer. He had to try on this climb. It's two days until the finish, we must seize every opportunity if we want to win a few seconds for Romian in the overall. The next two days will be rolling, the wind should be less strong now. It will remain nervous until the end. "

 

Warren Barguil: My legs are improving day by day

Giant-Alpecin had Warren Barguil, Georg Preidler and Tobias Ludvigsson finishing in the chasing bunch at 17th, 29th & 30th place, respectively.

 

Coach Morten Bennekou said: “I think again today that we did a good job. We hit a lot of breakaways but unfortunately not the right one. In the end, not all riders were caught back by the peloton and eventually the break made it to the finish line. Overall it was good teamwork and we provided good protection for Warren in the peloton.”

 

Warren Barguil said: “I felt much better today and we just missed out on being in the main break which made in all the way without the peloton catching them. My legs are improving day by day and I hope I will continue like this for the upcoming race.”

 

Hugh Carthy defends white jersey in Catalonia

Caja Rural’s Hugh Carthy defended the white jersey.

 

“You’ve got to be optimistic,” he told Cyclingnews. “There’s some very good riders right behind me though that I can’t discount until the race is over. Urán is pretty close in the GC, he went over the top of the last climb as the first of the peloton so I was paying attention to that and then it all came together in the bunch on the descent.

 

“But I’m pleased. This is one of the biggest races of the year for the team, and for them to be protecting me, the youngest rider on the team, it’s nice - I’ve got to make the most of it.”

 

Nairo Quintana: You can’t let Contador out of sight for a moment

In today's fifth stage of the Volta a Catalunya, a speeding peloton covered the 187 km from Rialp to Valls in less than four hours. No quarter was given in the struggle to form the breakaway of the day, which took 110 kilometres, a second-category climb (Àger) and literally dozens of attacks, not to mention the passage through the first intermediate sprint, where Contador (TNK) clawed back one of the 8" that separated him from Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team).

 

Quintana enjoyed constant protection by Erviti, Anacona, Soler, Moreno, Dayer and José Herrada, always to the fore in the first phase of racing and, in Erviti's case, monitoring what became the escape group, which included Verona (EQS) – at just over 3' in GC – and the eventual solo attacker Poels (SKY), who ended the day with the stage win.

 

The peloton of the race leader, Nairo Quintana, arrived intact at 33", meaning that, 48 hours before the race finish on Montjuïc, just 21” separate the top four contenders. Before then the peloton faces a long (197 km) and sinuous sixth stage, with a less lumpy final stretch towards Vilanova i la Geltrú, the hometown of Marc Soler, who shone in the corresponding, penultimate stage a year ago, when he joined the breakaway to Port Aventura before taking 4th place in the stage.

 

Quintana said: 

 

“It was a very tough stage, the terrain was tough and my rivals tried to get their team-mates in early breaks, so it was really fast at the start and then right the way through to the second half of the stage. It was only when that last break went that things calmed down a bit. There were more attacks than I thought there would be.

 

"Today was probably the hardest stage before Montjuïc, because the finish was complicated and the rhythm, which was frantic all day, made it even harder to control the race. I expected Contador to try to make up time. You can't let him out of your sight for a moment, and we saw that at the intermediate sprint. Contador and the other pretenders are not going to make it easy for us to win this Volta, although fortunately the time he gained was not enough to take the lead.

 

“Possibly it was the most difficult, the run-in was tricky with a lot of corners and there could have been some cross-winds. In other years we’ve had some splits here on this stage, so I had to keep a close eye out on the rest. And hopefully we’ll be able to keep things under control on the last day because the circuit isn’t at all easy.”

 

"In the final part of the stage, the breakaway made us work, but other teams were thinking of a sprint finish and they worked hard at the front, which made it easier for us. The team worked well in the moments of difficulty, and we fought our way through this first day in the jersey. As for tomorrow, I hope that the high speed and difficulty of the last three days will mean that there is lots of fatigue in the bunch, meaning that it is easier for us to control the race."

 

Richie Porte’s podium spot under threat in Catalonia

On what was a fast and hard day on Stage 5 of Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Richie Porte and Tejay van Garderen crossed the line safely in the bunch to remain in third and fifth overall on the General Classification.

 

The stage got off to a flying start with the peloton covering 51km in the first hour. Despite numerous attempts, it wasn’t until 65 kilometers to go when an eight-rider breakaway successfully went off the front.

Wouter Poels (Team Sky) attacked in the remaining 15 kilometers to take the solo win. Dario Cataldo (Astana) and Gaetan Bille (Wanty - Groupe Gobert) came home 11 seconds later to round out the top.

 

“It was slight downhill with a bit of a headwind into the valley so we knew the breakaway was going to take forever to get away. Now that the GC is set, a lot of teams have the same goal. Richie and I were able to stay safe in the final so in the end it was a successful stage. We were looking for a bit of an easier day but in cycling there are no more easy days,” van Garderen explained after the stage.

 

“It was such a fast day and it didn’t seem like the break was every going to establish. It was a bit of a shame that Dan Martin took a few seconds back in the bonus sprint but that was to be expected. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. I think there are a lot of tired bodies out there,” Porte said.

 

BMC Racing Team continues to lead the team classification, extending the lead over Cannondale who has moved into second place at 1’17.

 

Missed opportunity for LottoNL-Jumbo in Catalonia

Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s riders failed to make the breakaway in the fifth stage of the Volta a Catalunya today. Attacks filled the first 115 kilometres, resulting in eight riders moving free and eventual stage winner Wout Poels (Team Sky) among them.

 

“Everyone wanted to be in the break,” Sports Director Frans Maassen said. “We did everything to be there, as well, but we failed. That’s very annoying for the men.”

 

Until the leading group broke away, the average speed of the peloton was 48 kilometres an hour. The stage finished fifteen minutes earlier than the fastest time scheduled.

 

“Bert-Jan Lindeman seemed to have the biggest chance to get in the breakaway. He stayed in front with a group of riders, but Team Sky closed the gap. Poels attacked immediately at that moment and they were gone. I can’t say that our riders didn’t fight for it, but it was without success, unfortunately.”

 

Martijn Keizer and Steven Kruijswijk crashed, as well.

 

“Martijn didn’t suffer too much damage, but Steven is scraped up,” Maassen added. “He was eating something when everyone in front of him stopped suddenly. He fell over that crash heavily. It wasn’t a nice day for us, but we will have a new chance tomorrow. Tomorrow’s stage is quite similar to today’s.”