Volta a Catalunya 2014 - Stage 7
The Volta a Catalunya 2014 concluded yesterday with a 120 kilometre circuit race around the historic city of Barcelona. Horrid weather greeted the peloton, and it rained for the majority of the duration of the stage. It meant Joaquim Rodriguez would have to protect his slender four second lead from the conditions as well as the peloton, as he would have to stay upright on the greasy circuit.
The circuit had been made 1.1 kilometres shorter because of the rain but the third category climb that the peloton would have to climb no less than eight times remained, meaning there would be an effective launch pad for attacks. A large breakaway of thirteen riders tried their hand on the stage, whilst a group of riders were quickly off the back getting lapped, including Belkin's Laurens Ten Dam.
The break included the previous day's winner Stef Clement, Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Marcus Burghardt (BMC) and Lieuwe Westra of Astana among others. Their lead reached a peak of around five minutes, but it soon started to fall once the race hit the finishing circuit. Thomas Voeckler was the first man from the breakaway to make a move, but it was Westra's counterattack which stuck.
Whilst the break fragmented into smaller groups, Katusha were leading the peloton further back making sure Rodriguez wasn't jumped. Chris Froome crashed with sixty kilometres to go, but sustained only a graze and continued the race. Westra's move looked to be sticking, and it soon became clear that the Dutchman wouldn't be caught.
He won alone for Astana, a full minute and twenty two seconds in front of the remainder of the breakaway. Marcus Burghardt got second, and Thomas Voeckler third. The peloton were a couple of minutes behind, and despite Alberto Contador trying a move on the final climb of the day, they couldn't get away from Rodriguez, who went on to win his second Volta a Catalunya, this time by four seconds.
The exciting finale stage wrapped up a tough week of racing for the professional peloton. The next race covered on Lanterne Rouge will be the Three Days of De Panne which starts tomorrow.