Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2025 Stage 7

March 30, 2025 The final stage may be short but it is very difficult. The first 40KM are flat which generally allows a break to get away but the first Intermediate Sprint comes only 13KM from the start and will surely be contested. Once the riders enter the circuit, it is constantly going up or going down. Each lap is 8KM long and the riders will have to complete six full laps. The first third of each lap goes up the Alt de Montjuïc and then the rest of the lap curves back around a fast downhill where the finish line will be after 88KM of racing. The amended stage from yesterday puts a lot more pressure on UAE-XRG to try and control the race for Juan Ayuso because Primož Roglič of Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe is one single second behind in GC. With Intermediate Sprints and bonuses at the final, there is a maximum of 16 seconds any one rider can pick up, so all is still to play for. The start of the race was rapid as the riders went towards the first Intermediate Sprint where bonus seconds were up from grabs. Roglič was led out perfectly by Nico Denz and took the 3 bonus seconds. Importantly, Denz took 2 seconds leaving Ayuso with just 1 which put Roglič in the virtual GC lead by 1 second. The second Intermediate Sprint came at the start of the circuit with 47KM to go and UAE-XRG did not want that opportunity to slip away. They rode on the front of the peloton for over 30KM to make sure a break could not get away. Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe had numbers into the final corner going into the sprint. Ayuso got a jump early though and took the 3 bonus seconds. Denz crossed in second place which took away a crucial bonus second from Roglič who finished third. Ayuso reclaimed his GC spot now by 1 second and can only be overtaken if Roglič finishes ahead in first, second, or third on the stage and if Ayuso finishes behind Roglič, or there is a time gap. Attacks finally went on the first time up the Alt de Montjuïc. Richard Carapaz of EF-Education EasyPost and Bruno Armirail of Decathlon AG2R were the first escapees but Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe reeled them back in on the false flat lower section of the climb with 5 laps to go. Tom Donnenwirth of Groupama-FDJ got away on the sweeping downhill going into 3 laps to go. Emanuel Buchmann of Cofidis came across to Donnenwirth on the climb with 23KM to go but it was all back together when Roglič decided to play his cards. He went to the front on the steepest part of Montjuïc which drew out about ten riders. He kept the pace high over the top which is what snapped the group. No one could follow Roglič and he was off alone at the front for the start of the downhill with 20.5KM remaining. Roglič went through 2 laps remaining with Simon Yates of Visma-Lease a Bike and Quinn Simmons of Lidl-Trek chasing at 15 seconds and a large peloton, including Ayuso, at 25 seconds. Marc Soler was on the front of the bunch but he was the only UAE-XRG rider there to assist. When Soler swung off, attacks started flying. Enric Mas of Movistar went and he was joined by Lennert Van Eetvelt of Lotto, Axel Laurance of Ineos, and Mikel Landa of Soudal Quickstep. They refused to work together however and were caught with 10KM to go. Roglič took the bell 2KM later and still had a 19 second advantage. Adam Yates of UAE-XRG emerged from the group and went to the front for the final ascent of Montjuïc. Yates finished his turn to lead the group on to the steepest part of the climb, 500M from the top. Laurens De Plus of Ineos attacked and he was joined by Van Eetvelt. They were just 8 seconds behind Roglič by the top with the rest of the peloton another 8 seconds back. The rest of the lap was mostly downhill and they would not catch the Slovenian. Roglič took the win in emphatic and convincing style. De Plus won the sprint for second with Van Eetvelt in third. The chasing peloton came across the finish line 19 seconds down with Ayuso at the back, head hung in defeat. Roglič won the stage and the GC with his attack. Ayuso dropped to second place, 28 seconds down, with Mas finishing in third overall at 53 seconds.