Volta a Catalunya, 23-29 March 2026

[SHAD0W93]

Writing this from an earlier page of this Race thread because here in California when I go to Replay for The third stage on Peacock it hasn't shown up yet and it's 640 pm pacific coast time. I am hoping someone will respond without spoilers to let me know if the stage went on a usual. I will see it on the notification icon and if there was something going on like weather or ? whatever.

From reading the thread you should watch the stage.

 

[Sandisfan]

It's been over 12 hours since the finish of the third stage and still no replay available. It's frustrating that Peacock hasn't posted the replay. UGH They have posted a highlights package. This has happened on previous races but about half of those were stages that were hampered by weather or whatever. Still it's not very professional for them not to get the replay up by now. UGH!

 

[Hugh Januss]

Here is the interview after the stage. Remco seems calm, not annoyed in any way?

Remco Volta a Catalunya post stage 3 interview

Remco is working on a poker face.

 

[jmdirt]

Spoiler

That French guy again! If he's not careful, he'll get his own thread...

 

[Hugh Januss]

Crashed all by himself.

The rule was literally changed because Roglic did the same, got s.t. according to the rules and twitter started crying.

Putting Remco same time as the bunch was mostly OK in my books, but imagine the hilarity if Jonas would have kept on pedaling and the officials would have given Remco a time 5 seconds better than all the GC guys who rode past him on the floor.

 

[Hugh Januss]

If I was trying to argue that global warming didn't exist, bringing up the question how these races were able to take place in the 60s would be my go to argument.

The old it snowed so there is no Global Warming argument! Are you a GOP Senator?

 

[Sandisfan]

Well it's too late here already 8 pm California time and after chatting with help desk I won't have enough time to watch the 3rd stage so will read the posts here as though i am watching the Third Stage of Catalunya UGH

 

[Unchained]

Well it's too late here already 8 pm California time and after chatting with help desk I won't have enough time to watch the 3rd stage so will read the posts here as though i am watching the Third Stage of Catalunya UGH

So the extended highlights won't work?

 

[Sandisfan]

So the extended highlights won't work?

Yes it was too late even if Peacock had posted the replay and I went to the extended replay and I really wish that their recording that was messed up and they had been able to post the full replay but I got the gist from the thread to figure out what was going on in the race. I saw on YouTube an interview with Remco where he said he hit a pothole and that he didn't see it to avoid the hole. I would loved to see if Vingo could out-sprint him after mostly just drafting him. It would have been hilarious if VIngo did win the sprint. Oh Well what could have been though even with that in mind I give Remco a 60-40 chance to win the sprint.

 

[Extinction]

Not at all, they would have both won a lot more by sticking with the front group - they could have taken over a minute on Almeida today.

Evenepoel ruined that chance.

I get that, but I was talking about entertainment value. Much more entertainment in a two up sprint between Remco and Jonas, alas, than logical calculations.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Tomorrow the finish is also very high and there will still be a strong wind (but somewhat weaker). Remco's move yesterday may have been a flash of genius (but without a happy ending).

 

[Red Rick]

lol. So did Rog in 2024 TDF.

And that was a freakin’ mountain stage. So made NO SENSE.

It was not a categorized climb, that rule has always been the same. But then twitter started crying and the changed the rule for if you crash alone. But now everyone's favorite Bambi does it, everyone is suddenly fine with there being no time loss.

It's basically textbook preferential treatment.

 

[search]

with only one climb after 8k, I guess Veirstroffer can basically take a day off today.

Winning the points jersey will now be difficult anyway, though, as Godon looks likely to take another 10pt today, and the coming days will feature less intermediate sprints than before. He may need to focus on the mountain jersey.

 

[Heston]

Just in: All 3 Grand Tours this year have been turned into 21 flat sprint stages because it might snow on the mountains and we just cannot risk it

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It was not a categorized climb, that rule has always been the same. But then twitter started crying and the changed the rule for if you crash alone. But now everyone's favorite Bambi does it, everyone is suddenly fine with there being no time loss.

It's basically textbook preferential treatment.

Femke Bol is my favourite Bambi, so don't oversell Remco lol

 

[fenns]

disappointing about today's stage - will have to wait until tomorrow for the GC action - unless they shorten that as well

 

[Berniece]

disappointing about today's stage - will have to wait until tomorrow for the GC action - unless they shorten that as well

No reason to shorten it at the moment. 7 degrees, wind at 17km/h. Gusts of wind at 40 isn't good enough reason to cancel the whole climb.

For today I completely understand why they canceled it

 

[Strawberry_Jams]

Tomorrow the finish is also very high and there will still be a strong wind (but somewhat weaker). Remco's move yesterday may have been a flash of genius (but without a happy ending).

yeah he's playing 4d chess clearly.

 

[Berflamand]

Spent 70km watching this belgien race that will end in a philipsen sprint win and missed the one thing I still watch cycling for (remco arm waving) what's even the point

Never not watch a race with Remco in it, whether you love him or hate him. The guy is always box office.

But damn it's frustrating sometimes if you love him. From getting all excited about an unexpected bold and strong (albeit perhaps not that smart) move to getting incredibly disappointed because of the crash, losing out on a possible stage win and time gain and most likely having an impact on his climbing performance in the next stages.

 

[Alexandre B.]

The ultimate extreme weather protocol merchant. He probably has a secret temple to the weather gods in his garden where he goes to pray every day.

It will be a great fight against Ethan Vernon the bushfires merchant.

 

[fenns]

one positive from today's shortening - the suspense for GC will last another day - Jonas will kill the race tomorrow rather than today

 

[Dazed and Confused]

one positive from today's shortening - the suspense for GC will last another day - Jonas will kill the race tomorrow rather than today

similar to postponing a dentist appointment.....

 

[Peter von]

one positive from today's shortening - the suspense for GC will last another day - Jonas will kill the race tomorrow rather than today

also I have Curling practice after work today, so I would have missed it, which i was kinda bummed out about.

 

[topcat]

also I have Curling practice after work today, so I would have missed it, which i was kinda bummed out about.

Curling-the sport of champions. I played it when I lived in Canada- a blast.
I'm happy with the redesigned stage and I'll be happy with whatever outcome.

 

[Berniece]

It was not a categorized climb, that rule has always been the same. But then twitter started crying and the changed the rule for if you crash alone. But now everyone's favorite Bambi does it, everyone is suddenly fine with there being no time loss.

It's basically textbook preferential treatment.

The jury can choose how they want to handle this. The rule is (luckily) open to interpretation. If they feel he crashed due to bad road and not his own doing, then that's that.