The 98th edition of Volta Ciclista a Catalunya is a climber’s delight. The seven-day stage race includes back-to-back summit finishes at Vallter 2000 and La Molina ski resorts and few meters of flat road.
“Catalunya has the pace of a one-week race over terrain that you’d typically find in the final week of a grand tour,” said Mike Woods, who lines up in Calella on Monday for his third Volta Catalunya appearance. “In the third week of a grand tour the courses are often extremely challenging; however, by this time the top 10 or so riders have established themselves, and there is a bit more civility in the peloton -- guys are more focused on surviving as opposed to attacking. There is no civility in Catalunya. It’s aggressive racing from the gun to tape.”
Woods will be joined in Catalunya by Nate Brown, Hugh Carthy, Joe Dombrowski, Alex Howes, Pierre Rolland and Rigoberto Uran.
“Catalunya is on our way to the Ardennes Classics, of course, but it’s also a goal in itself,” said sport director Juan Manual Garate. “With two uphill finishes and no time trials, it looks like a race for the climbers, and we have a team full of them. We want to win one stage and be on the final podium.”
Four of the team’s seven riders call the northeastern Catalan town of Girona home during the off-season. Girona also hosts the EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale service course.
“Normally when I race in Europe, when I am on course, I have no clue where I am, and I have to rely completely on my director for course info,” said Woods. “Catalunya has begun to feel like a home race, and it is so nice to know when there is a sharp corner coming up, or a key feature, without simply having to trust in my director a kilometer behind in the car.”
“We’re not the only ones who live here,” Garate is quick to note. “This is a home race for half the peloton.”
While the race may not be well-known to the casual cycling fan, Volta a Catalunya is one of the toughest and most competitive one-week long races on the calendar. As ever, the 2018 edition boasts a star-studded line-up with several teams bringing multiple options for the general classification.
“Catalunya is one of the big testing grounds for guys as they prepare for the grand tours,” said Woods. “How riders fare here is a good indicator as to how they are going to progress throughout the season. A win at this race doesn't necessarily mean you are going to win a grand tour, but coming out of a race like this without positive momentum means you are going to have to go back to the drawing board prior to the grandies.
“We put Catalunya in my calendar for the same purpose as the previous years, to get the ball rolling, and build on my confidence in preparation for the Ardennes and the Giro,” explained Woods. “I’m just hoping to try to play an aggressive role in the race, and help contribute to getting a teammate, or myself, across the line first.”
EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale for the 2018 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya:
Sport Directors:
Juan Manual Garate (ESP)
Tom Southam (GBR)
Riders:
Nate Brown (USA)
Hugh Carthy (GBR)
Joe Dombrowski (USA)
Alex Howes (USA)
Pierre Rolland (FRA)
Rigoberto Uran (COL)
Mike Woods (CAN)
“Catalunya has the pace of a one-week race over terrain that you’d typically find in the final week of a grand tour,” said Mike Woods, who lines up in Calella on Monday for his third Volta Catalunya appearance. “In the third week of a grand tour the courses are often extremely challenging; however, by this time the top 10 or so riders have established themselves, and there is a bit more civility in the peloton -- guys are more focused on surviving as opposed to attacking. There is no civility in Catalunya. It’s aggressive racing from the gun to tape.”
Woods will be joined in Catalunya by Nate Brown, Hugh Carthy, Joe Dombrowski, Alex Howes, Pierre Rolland and Rigoberto Uran.
“Catalunya is on our way to the Ardennes Classics, of course, but it’s also a goal in itself,” said sport director Juan Manual Garate. “With two uphill finishes and no time trials, it looks like a race for the climbers, and we have a team full of them. We want to win one stage and be on the final podium.”
Four of the team’s seven riders call the northeastern Catalan town of Girona home during the off-season. Girona also hosts the EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale service course.
“Normally when I race in Europe, when I am on course, I have no clue where I am, and I have to rely completely on my director for course info,” said Woods. “Catalunya has begun to feel like a home race, and it is so nice to know when there is a sharp corner coming up, or a key feature, without simply having to trust in my director a kilometer behind in the car.”
“We’re not the only ones who live here,” Garate is quick to note. “This is a home race for half the peloton.”
While the race may not be well-known to the casual cycling fan, Volta a Catalunya is one of the toughest and most competitive one-week long races on the calendar. As ever, the 2018 edition boasts a star-studded line-up with several teams bringing multiple options for the general classification.
“Catalunya is one of the big testing grounds for guys as they prepare for the grand tours,” said Woods. “How riders fare here is a good indicator as to how they are going to progress throughout the season. A win at this race doesn't necessarily mean you are going to win a grand tour, but coming out of a race like this without positive momentum means you are going to have to go back to the drawing board prior to the grandies.
“We put Catalunya in my calendar for the same purpose as the previous years, to get the ball rolling, and build on my confidence in preparation for the Ardennes and the Giro,” explained Woods. “I’m just hoping to try to play an aggressive role in the race, and help contribute to getting a teammate, or myself, across the line first.”
EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale for the 2018 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya:
Sport Directors:
Juan Manual Garate (ESP)
Tom Southam (GBR)
Riders:
Nate Brown (USA)
Hugh Carthy (GBR)
Joe Dombrowski (USA)
Alex Howes (USA)
Pierre Rolland (FRA)
Rigoberto Uran (COL)
Mike Woods (CAN)
KEV MONKS FOR DIGITAL SPORTS GROUP
Source: DSG
