BiciRace.com :: 2005 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya

2005 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Preview

Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, Spain

16 - 22 May

Preview

Stages
16 May, Stage 1, Salou - Salou TTT, 20.1K, Map
17 May, Stage 2, Cambrils - Cambrils, 186.8K, Map
18 May, Stage 3, Salou - La Granada, 157.8K, Map
19 May, Stage 4, Perafort - Pal-Arinsal, 237.7K, Map
20 May, Stage 5, Sornas - Ordino-Arcalis TT, 17.1K, Map
21 May, Stage 6, Llivia - Pallejà, 198.7K, Map
22 May, Stage 7, Pallejà - Barcelona, 113.1K, Map

2004 Winner Perdiguero, photo: Capture-The-Peloton.com

In the past the Volta a Catalunya has relied on its proximity to the Tour de France for attracting a star studded field. It always provided an ideal training ground for those looking to hone their form for the upcoming Tour de France. Times have changed. The Volta a Catalunya, by virtue of its inclusion in the UCI Pro Tour, will have the who's who of cycling at the start line in Salou. And they won't be using it for training miles. Precious Pro Tour points are at stake, which should ensure some aggressive racing.

Joining the 20 Pro Tour teams will be the wildcard teams of Comunidad Valenciana, Relax Fuenlabrada and Kaiku. These three teams may lack the firepower of the big squads, but it's really amazing what motivation one can get from riding on home soil.

Last year's winner, Miguel Angel Martin Perdiguero, will be heading a super strong Phonak squad along with "No-Fuss" Floyd Landis and the resurgent Santiago Botero. Alejandro Valverde, Jan Ullrich, Cadel Evans and Yaroslav Popoyvych (to name but a few) will be playing their cards close their chests preferring to hit peak form in July instead of May. Look for Aitor Osa (Illes Balears), Luis León Sánchez (Liberty Seguros-Würth), Juan Mercado (Quick Step) and Eladio Jiménez Sanchez (Comunidad Valenciana) to hit the ground running.

The race begins with a 20km team time trial on May 16. Though it is a third the distance of the TTT the riders will face in July at the Tour de France TTT, it should still prove a good indication of where each team is at. In stage 3 the proverbial gauntlet will be thrown down. It is the longest of the race at 237 km and it finishes on a beastly category 1 climb. In case the selection isn't made on this stage, race organizers have thrown in an ITT of 17km the following day. While is may be short, it is anything but easy. It is a steady uphill slog which sees the riders gain approximately 900 meters in elevation over the course.
- Paco

Tom Danielson Interview, Before the Giro d'Italia, "We looked at Lance a lot for that stage. And if I was able to do it, then I was going to try to do it. Lance had a lot of faith in me, and kind of stressed me out a little bit..."

Stefano Garzelli Interviewed

Chat with the Director Sportivo, "Very beautiful and "rigida"( how do you say in English?)"

Pedro Delgado Interview - "In my opinion, of the directors I know, I like Vicente Belda the most."

He was often criticized by the nay-sayers for not getting over the big mountains. True, he never made it to Paris. But, he knows his talents. He got paid to win races and get publicity for his sponsors., "The End of an Era"

"Every sprint is always different. There are always things going through my mind. The main thing I do is stay concentrated on the job and trying to get in the best position possible!" - Allan Davis