2014 Volta a Catalunya explained

2014 Volta a Catalunya
Series:2014 UCI World Tour
Race No:5
Season No:28
Date:24–30 March 2014
Stages:7
Distance:1167.9
Unit:km
Time:29h 41' 34"[1]
Speed:39.333
First:Joaquim Rodríguez
First Nat:ESP
First Color:green lines volta
Second:Alberto Contador
Second Nat:ESP
Third:Tejay van Garderen
Third Nat:USA
Mountains:Stef Clement
Mountains Nat:NED
Mountains Color:red
Sprints:Michel Koch
Sprints Nat:DEU
Sprints Color:white-black strip
Previous:2013
Next:2015

The 2014 Volta a Catalunya was the 94th running of the Volta a Catalunya cycling stage race. It started on 24 March in Calella and ended on 30 March in Barcelona, and consisted of seven stages. It was the fifth race of the 2014 UCI World Tour season.

The race was won for the second time by Spain's Joaquim Rodríguez of,[2] who took the lead after winning the race's third stage, and maintained the overall lead of the race until the end in Barcelona, to take his first stage race victory in over two years.[3] Rodríguez won the general classification by four seconds over runner-up and compatriot Alberto Contador,[4] while the 's Tejay van Garderen completed the podium, three seconds behind Contador,[5] and seven down on Rodríguez; van Garderen was the winner of the race's queen stage to Vallter 2000-Setcases on the fourth day.[6]

In the race's other classifications, Stef Clement, of the team,[5] was the winner of the red jersey for the mountains classification; he also won a stage wearing the jersey, winning on the penultimate stage.[7] rider Michel Koch won both sprints classifications; along with the normal intermediate sprints,[5] Koch was the winner of the special sprints standings,[5] named in honour of Miguel Poblet, with the most points at the specific sprint places on the itinerary. For the second year in a row, won the teams classification.[5]

Route

Stage characteristics and winners[8] [9]
StageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner
124 March Calella to Calella 169.7km (105.4miles) Flat stage
225 March 168km (104miles) Flat stage
326 March 162.9km (101.2miles) Mountain stage
427 March 166.4km (103.4miles) Mountain stage
528 March 218.2km (135.6miles) Intermediate stage
629 March 172km (107miles) Flat stage
730 March Barcelona to Barcelona 120.7km (75miles) Intermediate stage

Teams

As the Volta a Catalunya was a UCI World Tour event, all 18 UCI ProTeams were invited automatically and obligated to send a squad. Four other squads were given wildcard places, thus completing the 22-team peloton.

The 22 teams that competed in the race were:[10]

Stages

Stage 1

24 March 2014 — Calella to Calella, 169.7km (105.4miles)[11]
Stage 1 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2s.t.
3s.t.
4s.t.
5s.t.
6s.t.
7s.t.
8s.t.
9s.t.
10s.t.
General Classification after Stage 1
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 4"
3+ 6"
4+ 8"
5+ 9"
6+ 10"
7+ 10"
8+ 10"
9+ 10"
10+ 10"

Stage 2

25 March 2014 — Mataró to Girona, 168km (104miles)[12]
Stage 2 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2s.t.
3s.t.
4s.t.
5s.t.
6s.t.
7s.t.
8s.t.
9s.t.
10+ 3"
General Classification after Stage 2
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 14"
3+ 14"
4+ 16"
5+ 16"
6+ 18"
7+ 20"
8+ 20"
9+ 20"
10+ 20"

Stage 3

26 March 2014 — Banyoles to La Molina, 162.9km (101.2miles)[13]
Stage 3 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 5"
3+ 9"
4+ 11"
5+ 13"
6+ 14"
7+ 14"
8+ 14"
9+ 14"
10+ 20"
General Classification after Stage 3
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 5"
3+ 9"
4+ 11"
5+ 13"
6+ 14"
7+ 14"
8+ 14"
9+ 14"
10+ 20"

Stage 4

27 March 2014 — Alp to Vallter 2000-Setcases, 166.4km (103.4miles)[14]
Stage 4 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2s.t.
3+ 3"
4+ 4"
5+ 5"
6+ 8"
7+ 8"
8+ 15"
9+ 16"
10+ 21"
General Classification after Stage 4
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 4"
3+ 7"
4+ 10"
5+ 10"
6+ 17"
7+ 18"
8+ 26"
9+ 42"
10+ 45"

Stage 5

28 March 2014 — Llanars to Valls, 218.2km (135.6miles)[15]
Stage 5 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2s.t.
3s.t.
4s.t.
5s.t.
6s.t.
7s.t.
8s.t.
9s.t.
10s.t.
General Classification after Stage 5
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 4"
3+ 7"
4+ 10"
5+ 10"
6+ 17"
7+ 18"
8+ 26"
9+ 42"
10+ 48"

Stage 6

29 March 2014 — El Vendrell to Vilanova i la Geltrú, 162km (101miles)[16]
Stage 6 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 3"
3+ 3"
4+ 3"
5+ 3"
6+ 3"
7+ 3"
8+ 3"
9+ 9"
10+ 55"
General Classification after Stage 6
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 4"
3+ 7"
4+ 10"
5+ 10"
6+ 17"
7+ 18"
8+ 26"
9+ 42"
10+ 48"

Stage 7

30 March 2014 — Barcelona to Barcelona, 120.7km (75miles)[17]
Stage 7 Result
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 1' 22"
3+ 1' 22"
4+ 1' 26"
5+ 1' 36"
6+ 2' 07"
7+ 2' 07"
8+ 2' 07"
9+ 2' 07"
10+ 2' 07"
Final General Classification
RiderTeamTime
1
2+ 4"
3+ 7"
4+ 10"
5+ 10"
6+ 17"
7+ 18"
8+ 26"
9+ 42"
10+ 48"

Classification leadership table

In the 2014 Volta a Catalunya, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses in intermediate sprints and at the finish in mass-start stages, the leader received a white and green jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the 2014 Volta a Catalunya, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.

Additionally, there was a sprints classification, which awarded a white jersey. In the sprints classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 3 at intermediate sprint points during each stage; these intermediate sprints also offered bonus seconds towards the general classification. A special sprints classification was also contested, with points on offer at a specific point during the stage; the classification was named in honour of former cyclist Miguel Poblet, who died in 2013. There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a red jersey. In the mountains classification, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs.

There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.

StageWinnerGeneral classification
Mountains classification
Sprints classification
Special sprints classification
Teams classification
1Luka MezgecLuka MezgecRomain LemarchandBoris ValléeRomain Lemarchand
2Luka MezgecMichel Koch
3Joaquim RodríguezJoaquim RodríguezJack BobridgeMichel Koch
4Tejay van GarderenStef Clement
5Luka Mezgec
6Stef Clement
7Lieuwe Westra
FinalJoaquim RodríguezStef ClementMichel KochMichel Koch

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 94ª "Volta" Ciclista a Catalunya: General Individual. 30 March 2014. 30 March 2014. Edosof. AS&A. es. 94ª Volta a Catalunya: General Individual. https://archive.today/20140330162826/http://www.edosof.com/2014/volta/resulta/general.htm. 30 March 2014. dead. dmy-all.
  2. News: Rodriguez seals second Tour of Catalunya triumph . . . 30 March 2014 . 30 March 2014 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140331011912/https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/cycling-rodriguez-seals-second-tour-catalunya-triumph-154530621--spt.html . 31 March 2014 .
  3. News: Joaquim Rodriguez seals victory as Lieuwe Westra wins stage 7 solo. Sky Sports. BSkyB. 30 March 2014. 30 March 2014.
  4. News: Alberto finished second overall in Catalunya . . Tinkoff Sport . 30 March 2014 . 30 March 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140402051133/http://www.tinkoffsaxo.com/news/alberto-finished-second-overall-catalunya/ . 2 April 2014 .
  5. News: Rodriguez triumphs on home soil in Volta a Catalunya. Alasdair. Fotheringham. Alasdair Fotheringham. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 30 March 2014. 30 March 2014.
  6. News: Tejay van Garderen wins Volta a Catalunya's big mountain stage. Cycling Weekly. IPC Media. 27 March 2014. 30 March 2014.
  7. News: Clement wins Volta a Catalunya stage in mountain jersey. . Rabo Wielerploegen. 29 March 2014. 30 March 2014. 2 April 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140402032830/http://www.teambelkin.com/teamnews/clement-wins-volta-a-catalunya-stage-in-mountain-jersey-2381. dead.
  8. News: 2014 Volta a Catalunya (World Tour), Spain. BikeRaceInfo. 13 February 2020.
  9. News: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2014. Cycling News. 13 February 2020.
  10. Web site: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2014 start list. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140322202345/http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/volta-a-catalunya-start-list. 22 March 2014. dead. dmy-all.
  11. News: Stage 1: Calella to Calella. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.
  12. Web site: Stage 2: Mataró to Girona. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.
  13. Web site: Stage 3: Banyoles to La Molina. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.
  14. Web site: Stage 4: Alp to Setcases. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.
  15. Web site: Stage 5: Llanars to Valls. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.
  16. Web site: Stage 6: El Vendrell to Vilanova i la Geltrú. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.
  17. Web site: Stage 7: Barcelona to Barcelona. Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 24 March 2014.