Volta a Catalunya, 23-29 March 2026

[Berniece]

The lineup for this year’s Volta a Catalunya is absolutely stacked, and the route looks just as punishing. We’re in for a spectacular, and likely brutal, week of racing. It’s a shame Juan Ayuso is sidelined following his Paris-Nice crash; perhaps if Pogačar had known the coast was clear of his former "best friend," he might have actually found the courage to sign up.

Route
Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

Competitors

 

[canina82]

There is any chance of snow on stage 5?

 

[Berniece]

There is any chance of snow on stage 5?

Yeah, there is. It will be snowing on Thursday (day before stage 5), but the weather should be better on Friday.

Not that it matters to Evenepoel, it was also snowing on the Teide last few days

 

[Potomac]

Riccitello for the win.

 

[Potomac]

Team Picnic Post to win the teams competition.

That's a joke, I don't think they are bothering to compete in this one?

 

[Sciatic]

Not often we have two summit finishes above 2000 meters in an early spring race.

 

[Breh]

Welp, this race is asterisked already.

 

[AmRacer]

The lineup for this year’s Volta a Catalunya is absolutely stacked, and the route looks just as punishing. We’re in for a spectacular, and likely brutal, week of racing. It’s a shame Juan Ayuso is sidelined following his Paris-Nice crash; perhaps if Pogačar had known the coast was clear of his former "best friend," he might have actually found the courage to sign up.

Route
Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

Competitors

Why would Pogi sign up?

 

[fenns]

The lineup for this year’s Volta a Catalunya is absolutely stacked, and the route looks just as punishing. We’re in for a spectacular, and likely brutal, week of racing. It’s a shame Juan Ayuso is sidelined following his Paris-Nice crash; perhaps if Pogačar had known the coast was clear of his former "best friend," he might have actually found the courage to sign up.

Route
Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

Competitors

Pogacar has won this race before - doubtful he'll race it again. He's ticked it off.

Do you think Remco can win it?

 

[YavorD]

Pogacar has won this race before - doubtful he'll race it again. He's ticked it off.

Do you think Remco can win it?

Of course he can.

But he won't.

 

[Breh]

OP doesn't even mention Landa's return to racing
Bernal not racing but there are plenty of forum favorites participating.


@Ilmaestro99 is Jayco backing Paul or are they going with the inferior GC rider O'Connor??

 

[Berniece]

Do you think Remco can win it?

Ask me again after stage 4. No clue how much improvement is needed to beat Vingegaard after such a disastrous climbing performance at UAE Tour.

 

[AmRacer]

Ask me again after stage 4. No clue how much improvement is needed to beat Vingegaard after such a disastrous climbing performance at UAE Tour.

Approx 100 %

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So what will be the final gap? Will the opposition make the race competitive against the Danish Leviathan? This race could even give us some preliminary info regarding the Tour.

 

[yaco]

OP doesn't even mention Landa's return to racing
Bernal not racing but there are plenty of forum favorites participating.


@Ilmaestro99 is Jayco backing Paul or are they going with the inferior GC rider O'Connor??

O'Connor will be the GC leader, however, his form so far in 2026 is poor. He was recruited as a GC rider which he has failed at so far. The Giro will decide his future at Jayco. Double is not quite at the same level as 2025.

 

[Red Rick]

So what will be the final gap? Will the opposition make the race competitive against the Danish Leviathan? This race could even give us some preliminary info regarding the Tour.

At best it says nothing, at worst it looks really bad for Vingegaard.

I expect that he'll try to win all 3 mountain stages. He shouldn't normally win the Montjuic circuit, and comparing the winning gap is useless because the competition, weather, and all that will all be different.

 

[Red Rick]

Ask me again after stage 4. No clue how much improvement is needed to beat Vingegaard after such a disastrous climbing performance at UAE Tour.

It's not that he was bad in UAE Tour, it's that he never dropped climbing performances such as Vingegaard has in races like these like he's done in Itzulia 2023, Tirreno 2024 or Paris Nice 2025. His performance was undoubtedly Catalunya 2023 but being at the level of Roglic does not bode well for challenging Vingegaard.

 

[fenns]

So what will be the final gap? Will the opposition make the race competitive against the Danish Leviathan? This race could even give us some preliminary info regarding the Tour.

Bigger targets ahead for him so I'm going for 2 minutes.

 

[Berniece]

It's not that he was bad in UAE Tour, it's that he never dropped climbing performances such as Vingegaard has in races like these like he's done in Itzulia 2023, Tirreno 2024 or Paris Nice 2025. His performance was undoubtedly Catalunya 2023 but being at the level of Roglic does not bode well for challenging Vingegaard.

He was bad at UAE Tour though. Look at who was better than him in the 2 mountain stages. It wasn't as if he finished 4th or something. He got dropped by Tijmen Graat... Wouldn't happen to Evenepoel in Catalunya 2023 form, and that was also before altitude.

It will be good to see how he compares to this Vingegaard. Although I still find it hard to gauge his form, since Paris-Nice wasn't a good indicator due to opposition and weather.

 

[houtdffan]

He was bad at UAE Tour though. Look at who was better than him in the 2 mountain stages. It wasn't as if he finished 4th or something. He got dropped by Tijmen Graat... Wouldn't happen to Evenepoel in Catalunya 2023 form, and that was also before altitude.

It will be good to see how he compares to this Vingegaard. Although I still find it hard to gauge his form, since Paris-Nice wasn't a good indicator due to opposition and weather.

Remco was at altitude before 2023 Cataluyna. He went back to altitude after the rae

 

[Berniece]

Remco was at altitude before 2023 Cataluyna. He went back to altitude after the rae

Ah, didn't know that. So basically like this year, UAE Tour -> Altitude -> Catalunya. And this year he doesn't do more altitude, because he goes to De Ronde (wishful thinking)

 

[canina82]

So the OP believes Pogacar is afraid of riding Catalunya?

 

[Berniece]

So the OP believes Pogacar is afraid of riding Catalunya?

Yes, I really think he's afraid of Ayuso...

 

[AmRacer]

Yes, I really think he's afraid of Ayuso...

It's more like Remco is afraid of MSR and RVV.