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Volta a Catalunya 2012 Live Dashboard
Race Info, Preview, Live Video, Results, Photos and Highlights

The 2012 Volta a Catalunya has more hills near the end of the stages which should make for good TV viewing; the race will be broadcasted live this year (details below).
Big Photos from 2011 - all 7 Stages reuters/flockton

2012 Volta a Catalunya Teams
Team Rosters and Withdrawals
Group riders by: or

  Printable Startlist

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News and Updates for Volta a Catalunya 2012

Also Sunday: The final (mountain) stage of Criterium International (2.HC FRA): race info, startlist and broadcasters now posted + results, photos and highlights from the first two stages. Also, the next classic of the season, Gent-Wevelgem is Sunday with live video.

Stage 7 results: Julien Simon (Saur - Sojasun) wins his second stage while Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE) completes his wire-to-wire overall win



Simon wins again in Volta a Catalunya, Albasini seals final overall victory velonation
 Last Km of Stage 7 (02:29 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es
 Stage 7 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (English, subscription required) — cycling.tv
March 25 update: The last stage of this year's turbulent Volta. It looks like Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE), who was allowed to escape on Stage 1, is going to go wire-to-wire in the leader's jersey and win the race. Good things happen when you race aggressively so good for him. The final stage is a rolling/hilly stage around Barcelona with a cat 3 climb near the finish. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

Stage 6 results

Sanchez sneaks away to stage 6 win (Full Results) — cyclingnews
Sanchez grabs stage with late attack velonation
Samuel Sánchez se anticipa al sprint: “He arriesgado más de lo previsto, pensaba que me caía”biciciclismo
Stage 6 Photosbiciciclismo
March 23 update: A rolling/hilly stage with three cat 3 climbs before a descending and flat finish. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

Stage 5 results

Simon sprints to stage 5 win in Catalunya (Full Results) — cyclingnews
Simon wins stage 5, Albasini retains race lead velonation
Stage 5 Photosbiciciclismo
March 21 update: The descending finish of Stage 4 was fun so lets to it again. Stage 5 will end with a cat 1 climb and descent into Manresa however the descent is more gradual than yesterday's and it starts further out. See the climb details for stage 5 below. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve
[More] Chaos in Catalunya as snow temporarily hems in five teams velonation
Basso's Giro d'Italia preparation suffers a blow cyclingnews


Stage 4 results: Exciting downhill finish goes to Rigoberto Uran (Sky); Race leader Michael Albasini finishes with the winning group


Uran times his sprint right on stage 4 (Full Results) — cyclingnews
Volta a Catalunya: Uran takes strong win, Albasini defends jersey velonation
Uran takes Tour of Catalonia stage four for Sky cyclingweekly.co.uk
 Stage 4 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (English, subscription required) — cycling.tv
Stage 4 Photosbiciciclismo
March 21 update: The stage 3 fiasco has tainted this year's race for so many reasons: it was the stage that never happened, the poor judgement of the race committee, the mass of abandonment riders that can come back to ride stage 4 and the crash injuries. Poor weather is again forecasted for Stage 4, but we are at lower elevation now. Three cat 2 climbs are scheduled with the same one ridden twice before the 20 km descent to the finish in Ascó. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve
[More] Chaos in Catalunya as snow temporarily hems in five teams velonation
Basso's Giro d'Italia preparation suffers a blow cyclingnews


Stage 3 results: Janez Brajkovic (AST) wins weather shortened stage 3. Stage was shortened to 155 km while a 12 man break had over 8 minutes advantage. No GC time counted.


Stage 3 results
1  Janez Brajkovic (Astana)
2  Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
3  Mickael Cherel (AG2R)
4  Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil)
5  Thomas Rohregger (RadioShack-Nissan)
6  Christian Vandevelde (Garmin-Barracuda)
7  Johann Tschopp (BMC)
8  Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank)
9  Chris Sorensen (Saxo Bank)
10 Romain Bardet (AG2R)
...
Peloton + 8  minutes

GC after Stage 3
1  Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE)
Photos from early in the stage including the winning breaknaciodigital.cat
Volta a Catalunya: Brajkovic wins shortened third stage velonation
Brajkovic wins weather-shortened queen stage cyclingnews
Brajkovic wins weather-shortened Catalunya stage, Schleck abandons velonews
Full Results from Stage 3biciciclismo
 Finish of Stage 3 pedalierweb.es
Stage 3 Photosbiciciclismo
Chaos at Catalunya: Nearly 40 abandon, but officials might let them start Thursday velonews
Samuel Sánchez, “muy dolorido” por una caída en la Voltabiciciclismo
Azevedo on Catalonia chaos: "It's war out there" cyclingweekly.co.uk
Dean collides with parked car at Catalunya, breaks leg cyclingnews
OPQS Team Bus at the finish: 'This picture says it all about the weather'twitpic

Update: Photo taken at 2012-03-21 12.01.34 (CET). No live coverage of today's race as the helicopter cannot fly due to bad weather. Photo sent via cycling tv. Stage has been shortened to 155 km and will now finish in Canturri.
March 20 update: Stage 3 is a romp through the Spanish Pyrénées featuring the most climbing of any day on the
UCI Calendar to date. There are two cat 1 climbs in the first half of this 210 km stage and the day ends with consecutive hors categorie/especial climbs including the finish at a ski resort, Port-Ainé (18.9 km at 6.5%). See climb details and google climb goodies below. However, it's currently (2:00 CET) snowing there and snow is expected again on Wednesday so it's quite likely the stage finish will be shortened or moved; we know today's cyclists don't like to ride in the snow. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve


Stage 2 results: Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE) wins two in a row


Stage 2 Photos
Full Results from Stage 2biciciclismo
Albasini wins second straight stage at Catalunya cyclingnews
Michael Albasini doubles up in the Volta a Catalunya velonation
 Last Km of Stage 2 (01:12 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es
 Stage 2 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (Engish, subscription required) — cycling.tv
Alejandro Valverde crashes out of contention in Volta a Catalunya velonation
Stage 2 Photoscyclingnews
More Stage 2 Photosbiciciclismo

March 19 update: Stage 2 is a loop northeast of Girona, an area North America riders will know well because it's European base camp for many of them. The stage isn't difficult but there is a cat 3 and a cat 1 climb before a descending then flat finish which should be good for Samuel Sanchez and Damiano Cunego, if they feels inclined. The cat 1 climb, Alt Dels Àngels (picture above), is a popular training climb for the local pros. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve


Stage 1 results: Break succeeds with Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE) soloing in from the cat 3 climb, 18 km from the finish

Full Results from Stage 1biciciclismo
Albasini wins stage one of the Volta a Catalunya cyclingnews
GreenEdge win again as Albasini takes Catalunya opener cyclingweekly.co.uk
Michael Albasini solos to Volta a Catalunya opener velonation
5 Big Photos from Stage 1reuters
 Last Km of Stage 1 (03:14 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es
 Stage 1 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (Engish, subscription required) — cycling.tv
Joaquim Rodriguez concedes shoe change error caused tendonitis velonation
 Full Stage 1 As-Live Repeat (57:37 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es
More Stage 1 Photospedalier pro magazine
March 18 update: Stage 1 is a loop starting and ending in Calella, just up the coast from Barcelona. It's only 139 km long and there are three categorized climbs including at cat 1 at the halfway point. (see the climb details below). The race may come back together for the cat 3 climb near the finish. Expect the sprinter teams (not many) to chase down the break over the remaining 18 km to try and set up a sprint finish (Allan Davis/GreenEDGE, Francisco Gavazzi/Astana, Aitor Galdos/Caja Rural), one of the few expected this week. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve
Horner skips Volta a Catalunya to heal minor injury from Tirreno cyclingnews


March 18 update:
Official 2012 startlist now postedsteephill

March 16 update:
Stage maps and timetables ("ETAPA DETALLADA") are now posted. See race summary table (right).


2012 Volta a Catalunya Race Preview


March 18 update: Although the run up to this year's Volta a Catalunya was hampered by funding problems that threatened the race, it actually looks like this year's race will be better than previous years for two big reasons, the stages are more interesting and the end of each stage will be broadcasted live.

If you look at the profiles in the race summary table (right), you'll notice that most stages have a final climb near the finish and stage 3, Port-Ainé, will be a hors categorie mountaintop finish. Not surprisingly, 2010 Volta a Catalunya winner and local boy, Joaquim Rodríguez, is returning to the race after missing last year's edition [Joaquim Rodríguez won Volta a Catalunya in 2010. It's his home race, but he isn't racing it for the 2nd year in a row. Course suits him. Explanation?].The official startlist has been released and there are many big name climbers on it including this year's Paris-Nice winner, Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and 3rd overall Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), who won this race in 2009, as well as eventual 2010 Tour de France winner Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan). Tirreno-Adriatico runner-up Chris Horner is a late scratch. Also racing are Ivan Basso (Liquigas), David Moncoutie (Cofidis), Mikel Nieve and Samuel Sanchez from Euskaltel - Euskadi, Damiano Cunego (Lampre) , Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol), Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma QuickStep), Denis Menchov (Katusha), Dan Martin (Garmin) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank). A good course with a very good field, lets hope everyone comes to race. No time bonuses again this year. — Steve

Stellar field set to race in the Volta a Catalunya cyclingnews
Andy Schleck to ride Volta a Catalunya cyclingnews
Ivan Basso to make his return in the Volta a Catalunya velonation

History:
The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya is Spain's second biggest bike race after the Vuelta a Espana and the third oldest (1911) stage race in the world behind the Tour de France (1903) and the Giro d'Italia (1909).
Volta a Catalunya Race Historyen.wikipedia.org

March 13 update:
2012 Host towns, distances, stage profiles are now posted. See race summary table (right). — Steve


2012 Route Map






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En Directo: Live Streaming Video, TV Coverage, Text Updates

March 19 update: Initial options to view the 2012 Volta a Catalunya. Check back at race time for updates to the online links and tv schedules. Feel free to send in additional sources for live video or tv coverage as they become known. We should have Big Photos from Reuters right after the race. More to come... — Steve
media source tv or internet comments/restrictions
   live video (english)
        [subscription required]
Worldwide excluding USA starting at 15:00 UTC (11:00 ET) on cycling.tv ; Subscribers will also get access to As-Live Rebroadcast and 30 minutes of highlights later in the day
   live video (catalan)
   live video (catalan)
  tv schedule
Daily live video of the "end of each stage and finish" on local sports channel Esport3 at 15:45 CET each day
eurosport    live video (english)
   live video (english)
  tv schedule (british)
  tv schedule (int'l/cet)
Live at 15:00 BST (16:00 CET on Eurosport International)
   live video (spanish)
  tv schedule
Spanish; Teledeporte feed. Stage 1 live at 16:00 CET
   live video ($ english)
  tv schedule (see comments)
United States and Canada; live online ($9.99) at 8 AM ET; and TV coverage in select U.S. markets. Details to come. Universal Sports TV Channel.
live text updates ES
live text updates EN
The Spanish website Biciciclismo will have the latest race updates
 steephill text updates
 #voltacatalunya
short text updates from any and everyone
check back at race time for more and updated links; email send a comment or a new live link

Also known as Tour of Catalonia in English, Tour de Catalogne in French, Ronde van Catalonië in Dutch.


2011 Volta a Catalunya Archived Coverage

2010 Volta a Catalunya Archived Coverage