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Pogacar takes the lead in Volta a Catalonia in Heavy Rain

Slovenian goes solo on the second stage of the Volta a Catalunya atop Vallter 2000

Pogacar takes the lead in Volta a Catalonia in Heavy Rain

Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) took the overall lead in the Tour of Catalonia on Tuesday by winning the second stage from Mataro to Vallter a minute and 22 seconds ahead of his closest contenders Mikel Landa and Aleksandr Vlasov.

After yesterday’s second place on the first stage, Tadej Pogacar immediately asserted his physical condition by forcefully winning the second leg of the Spanish race, which took the riders for 185.6km from Mataró to the ascent of Vallter 2000.

The morning didn’t start well for UAE Team Emirates with Jay Vine forced to withdraw from the start due to stomach problems. However, the team worked well throughout the stage, setting the pace and keeping the breakaway under control.

Pogacar’s teammate Domen Novak had played a practical joke on the bunch by hiding in some convenient bushes after an early attack!

Adverse weather with rain and fog accompanied the second part of the race, but it couldn’t stop UAE Team Emirates and Tadej Pogacar who, at the beginning of the final climb (11.4 km with peaks of 18%, and an average gradient of 7.6%), first caught the last escapee and then unleashed the solo effort of the Slovenian rider who crossed the finish line (at 2135 meters above sea level) alone with a lead of 1’23” from the nearest chasers.

A good performance also from the Portuguese Joao Almeida, who was in the group with Pogacar until his attack, and remaining with the best to finish the stage in fourth position.

Pogacar said afterwarsd, “We started with almost summer weather but the clouds chased us and the rain fell starting from the penultimate climb. Despite the adverse weather conditions and the altitude, I felt good, testing my legs already in the last descent and then going at my pace until the end without looking back.”

UAE Team Emirates leader recalls through chattering teeth. "We saw the clouds rising. We thought we would survive until the finish, but then the rain came."

Tomorrow the race will resume with another challenging stage: 180.6km from Sant Joan de les Abadesses to the climb of Port Ainé.

HIGHLIGHTS: 2024 Volta a Catalonia Stage 2

2024 Volta a Catalonia Stage 2 Results

1  POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates 4:52:38
2  LANDA Mikel Soudal Quick-Step 1:23
3  VLASOV Aleksandr BORA - hansgrohe 1:24
4  ALMEIDA João UAE Team Emirates 1:38
5  MARTINEZ Lenny Groupama - FDJ 1:42
6  HARPER Chris Team Jayco AlUla 1:44
7  BERNAL Egan INEOS Grenadiers 1:47
8  MAS Enric Movistar Team 1:49
9  POELS Wout Bahrain - Victorious 2:03
10  DÍAZ José Manuel Burgos - BH 2:03

2024 Volta a Catalonia GC after Stage 2

1  POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates 9:03:57
2  LANDA Mikel Soudal Quick-Step 1:35
3  VLASOV Aleksandr BORA - hansgrohe 1:38
4  ALMEIDA João UAE Team Emirates 1:56
5  MARTINEZ Lenny Groupama - FDJ 2:01
6  HARPER Chris Team Jayco AlUla 2:02
7  BERNAL Egan INEOS Grenadiers ,,
8  MAS Enric Movistar Team 2:07
9  KUSS Sepp Team Visma | Lease a Bike 2:21
10  DÍAZ José Manuel Burgos - BH ,,