Following the first Monument of the season, Milano-Sanremo, the WorldTour calendar continues with the seven-day stage race, Volta a Catalunya, taking place from Monday, March 24, to Sunday, March 30, in the Catalan region of southeastern Spain.
Bahrain Victorious, the best team in the 2024 edition, returns with high ambitions, led by Lenny Martinez. The young French talent, fresh off a stage victory at Paris-Nice, is no stranger to success in Catalunya. In his third participation, he aims to improve on his 7th-place GC finish and white jersey win from last year.
This time, Martinez races the Volta a Catalunya in a Bahrain Victorious jersey, eager to take another step forward.
“It’s a race I really like. My teammates and I are highly motivated, and we’ll do our best to achieve a great result,” said Martinez.
TBV Sports Director Xavi Florencio backs his young leader:
“We have a clear leader in Lenny Martinez. He showed great form at Paris-Nice, and hopefully, he has recovered well. In Catalunya, the entire team will support him as we aim for a strong result in the general classification. We will give our best, and in Barcelona, we’ll see if we’ve met our target.”
The 104th edition of Volta a Catalunya will once again present a varied and challenging parcour, featuring traditional key stages. The race begins with the opening stage in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, a fast circuit-style course that has often produced a tense battle for the first leader’s jersey. Stage 2 from Banyoles to Figueres offers a chance for the sprinters, while Stage 3, finishing at La Molina, is the first true mountain showdown. This Queen Stage, covering 218.5 km with more than 5,000 meters of climbing, will be crucial for the GC contenders.
The climbing challenges continue on Stage 4, which finishes atop Montserrat Millenari, followed by Stage 6 from Berga to Queralt, another decisive day for the overall standings, with steep climbs concentrated in the second half of the race. Meanwhile, Stage 5 from Paüls to Amposta should again favour the sprinters, though wind conditions could create unexpected challenges.
The grand finale takes place in Barcelona, where the short but intense Montjuïc stage will provide one last test for GC hopefuls. With six ascents of the iconic climb, the winner of Volta a Catalunya may not be decided until the final moments of the race.
“It’s a tough course with three uphill finishes and a high level of competition,” Florencio added. “As always, bonus seconds will play a key role. While three stages seem suited for sprinters, wind conditions could make them unpredictable. The final Montjuïc stage is short but demanding—until the very last finish line, the overall winner will remain uncertain.”
Bahrain Victorious brings a versatile and well-rounded squad to support Martinez. Matevž Govekar will target the sprint finishes, with Nicolò Buratti as his lead-out man. Fran Miholjević will serve as the team’s road captain, while Afonso Eulálio and Rainer Kepplinger will provide climbing support for Martinez in the key mountain stages. Finlay Pickering rounds out the lineup as an all-rounder, ready to join breakaways and assist throughout the week.
