While most attention of the cycling world is on the Spring Classics, the stage racers have plenty of action in March with the Volta a Catalunya from March 18 to 24 following Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.
With a run through the soaring Pyrenees and a stint in the shorter but steep climbs of the Catalan coastal range, the race caters to Grand Tour contenders preparing for the Giro d'Italia or finding early-season form far ahead of the Tour de France.
The 2024 edition wastes no time sending riders into the high peaks with the first high-altitude summit coming on stage 2 at the Vallter 2000/Setcases ski resort.
Even the so-called flat stages feature mountains and there is no time trial, so the race offers little for sprinters or riders who are allergic to climbing.
Read on to learn about the full route for the 2024 Volta a Catalunya.
Stage 1
Sant Feliu de Guíxols hosts the opening stage of the 2024 Volta a Catalunya with a 173.9km stage punctuated by four significant climbs. The stage begins on the coast but heads inland for a series of intersecting loops. The climbing begins from the gun with the category 3 Alt de Romanya and Alt de la Ganga in the first 30km and the Alt dels Angels at kilometre 55.3. Even the flatter midsection is peppered with short ascents making for a tough day in the saddle. The stage culminates with the Alt de Sant with 20km to go and a fast descent to the finish in Sant Feliu de Guíxols.
Stage 2
The second stage is up, up and away! A flatter run-out than the opening stage runs along the coast toward Sant Feliu de Guíxols before taking a sharp inland turn and heading toward the mountains. The serious climbing starts 130km into the 186.5km stage and brings riders above 2,000 metres in altitude at the summit of the final climb to the Vallter 2000 ski station. It's the sixth time a stage of the Volta a Catalunya has finished on the climb. Last year Giulio Ciccone won ahead of leader Primož Roglič. Other recent winners of this stage include Adam Yates (twice), Tejay van Garderen and Nairo Quintana.
Stage 3
The riders of the Volta a Catalunya get no breaks on stage 3 with a second consecutive high mountain finish atop the Port Ainé just one of three huge climbs on the 176.7km stage from Sant Joan de les Abadesses.
The stage starts with a long ascent to the category 1 Port de Toses (1,770m) and a long, gradual descent before the road tilts sharply upward again to the Port del Cantó at 1,715m and shortly after the subsequent descent, heads up again to the finish of the 18.4km long climb. It's the same stage used in 2021 when Esteban Chaves won the day ahead of a nine-rider chasing group.
Stage 4
The theme of the 2024 Volta a Catalunya route continues on stage 4 with another big climb mid-stage before riders get some relief. A gentle descent for the first 60km will make for a fast start before the 14km climb, and a 25km descent and flat run-in to Leida make this stage one of the few suited to the sprinters.
Stage 5
Stage 5 stays at lower altitudes than the previous days as the race heads southeast toward Barcelona for the 167.3km stage from Altafulla to Viladecans. The punchy route has two category 2 climbs - the Coll de les Ventoses and Alt de la Creu d'Aragall and plenty of up and down in between. The second ascent tops out with 30km to go - it's a perfect day for a breakaway as the GC riders will be saving their bullets for the coming stages.
Stage 6
Why the organisers didn't swap stages 5 and 6 is a mystery - the race has to make a two-hour transfer from the coast to Berga for the start of stage 6 - another romp through the mountains with five classified climbs - two of which are category 1 and one hors categorie. The first intermediate sprint at km 15 will keep the peloton together before attacks fly on the Coll de la Batallola (cat. 3). An undulating approach to the Collet de Cal Ros at km. 57.1 is a fine launching point for long-ranged attacks with a long, gradual descent to the stair-step hors-categorie Coll de Pradell (1,735m). A short incline interrupts the descent before riders head up the cat. 1 Collada de Sant Isidre (1,140m) with 26km to go.
The stage finishes with a cat. 1 climb to Queralt. It's not the hardest climb of the Volta but 4,085 metres of climbing will add to the difficulty level.
Stage 7
The 2024 Volta a Catalunya finishes with a similar stage to last year, with the category 3 Coll de la Creu de l'Ordal serving as a warm-up and breakaway launching pad before the race heads to the six finishing circuits that include the short but steep Alt del Castell de Montjuic. The circuit is hard enough that last year Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič escaped on the third trip and stayed away to the finish. It's no parade finale for the Volta a Catalunya - a race that will be fought until the final metre.
