\n100km to go<\/p>\n
The break are just 4km from the top of the climb where Ciccone will likely take maximum points. The gap back to the peloton is still dropping with it currently at one minute and 35 seconds.<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T13:29:15.338Z<\/p>\n
The riders are onto the first climb of the day, the Coll de la Batallola. It is 11.7km long with an average gradient of 3% and a max of 12%. It is a very uneven climb with several flat and downhill moments along the way.<\/p>\n
\n
![\"QUERALT,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/atb7Ks2ppfpKRJy7MAJKLD.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T13:17:01.885Z<\/p>\n
The peloton seems to have got on top of things with the gap beginning to come down. There is now one minute and 55 seconds splitting the leading 15 riders and the bunch.<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T13:07:32.300Z<\/p>\n
Names in the lead group<\/p>\n
Cattaneo (RBH)
Soler (UAD)
Carapaz (EFE)
Raccagni Noviero (SOQ)
Stewart (NSN)
Lemmen (TVL)
Ciccone (LTK)
Staune-Mittet (DCT)
Debruyne (APT)
Leknessund (UXM)
Quintana (MOV)
Molard (GFC)
Howson (PQT)
Uriarte (EKP)
Munton (MAP)<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T13:05:03.345Z<\/p>\n
An hour of racing done and the average speed is sat at 45kph. It has been a rapid start to the day.<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T13:00:47.384Z<\/p>\n
The composition of the group isn’t completely clear. Carapaz may be in there instead of Steinhauser.<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T12:59:14.373Z<\/p>\n
The gap continues to grow with all the major GC teams having riders in the break. There is now two minutes and 10 seconds splitting the groups.<\/p>\n
2026-03-28T12:57:05.161Z Johannes Staune-Mittet (Decathlon-CMA CGM) managed to get across to the break to make it 15 riders.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:54:37.446Z<\/p>\n The break has one minute and 20 seconds on the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:53:39.645Z<\/p>\n Importantly, Veistroffer has missed the move with Ciccone in the break. The KOM jersey can’t change hands on the first climb of the day but the Italian can go to just one point behind the Lotto-Intermarche rider with an Especial climb and a max of 26 points to come.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:51:04.104Z<\/p>\n The leaders are joined by the chase. They have about a minute on the peloton which does, once again, include Vingegaard.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:50:23.846Z<\/p>\n The chase group<\/p>\n Mattia Cattaneo (RBH) And four others.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:47:04.192Z Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) They get a small gap with a group trying to bridge.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:46:16.559Z<\/p>\n It appears that Soudal-Quickstep are doing the majority of the damage in the peloton with Pascal Eenkhoorn trying to set up Filippo Zana to go into the break.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:43:28.971Z<\/p>\n Another abandon today, Anton Kuzmin (XDS-Astana).<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:41:10.591Z<\/p>\n Vingegaard is caught in the second split<\/p>\n All of his major GC rivals in the front group. There is about 40 seconds splitting them.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:40:20.612Z<\/p>\n Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Richard Carapaz (EF Edcuation-EasyPost) are among the riders involved in the recent attacking.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:39:18.022Z<\/p>\n The lone rider was caught but the pace continues to be high with more splits starting to form.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:34:38.347Z<\/p>\n The peloton split again with 25 riders out front. However, it does appear that it is coming back together again. There is one rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG out front on his own.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:31:58.837Z<\/p>\n There have been several attacks but nothing is sticking at the moment.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:30:19.826Z<\/p>\n The peloton has split due to such a high pace with about 40 riders at the front.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:20:04.657Z<\/p>\n Veistroffer and Hvideberg have been dragged back into the peloton again.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:19:16.646Z<\/p>\n The French rider now has a close rival in the KOM fight in Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), but Veistroffer has jumped first to try and take points ahead of the Italian. He is joined by Norwegian rouleur, Hvideberg. However, they only have a tiny margin on the bunch.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:18:11.678Z Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarche) \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:16:22.299Z<\/p>\n The race was stopped so that the ambulance to take Michel Hessmann to hospital. The Movistar rider crashed in the neutral zone and required a neck brace and stretcher to get him into the ambulance and to be taken to hospital.<\/p>\n We wish the German all the best and hope that he has a smooth recovery.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:13:40.237Z<\/p>\n A few kilometres in a no-one has blinked first and made an acceleration just yet.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:07:33.515Z<\/p>\n No attacks have gone off the front of the bunch just yet.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:05:50.647Z Racing begins after a brief stop for the riders.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T12:01:16.086Z<\/p>\n The race has been stopped.<\/p>\n No reason for it just yet. The crash of the Movistar rider is the only information that has come through so far.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:59:46.388Z A rider from Movistar crashed in the neutral zone, delaying the start.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:57:48.256Z<\/p>\n The race start appears to be a touch delayed. Riders having some issues with their bikes, no doubt.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:53:28.289Z<\/p>\n Pidcock is the only non-starter but six riders didn’t finish yesterday so the peloton is down to just 146 riders.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:44:35.137Z<\/p>\n The riders roll out of the start in the centre of Berga and begin the neutral zone.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:41:47.156Z<\/p>\n With about five minutes to the start of the neutralised zone, Vingegaard and everyone else have signed on for the day. Will the new race leader continue the dominance he showed yesterday with another win today?<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:19:44.638Z<\/p>\n Some more info about Pidcock after he annouced on Pinarello-Q36.5’s Instagram that he has left the race with a damaged knee that will see him out for some time…<\/p>\n >>> ‘We did everything to try to make it’ – Tom Pidcock pulls out of the Volta a Catalunya with injuries from stage 5 crash<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T11:15:00.688Z<\/p>\n The neutral start is due to happen in about half an hour.<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T10:35:24.839Z<\/p>\n One rider also not starting today is Pidcock with a “ballooned knee”. The Yorkshireman voices his frustration on not being able to race the final climb of yesterday with the best and not being able to carry on this weekend, but apparently he will need “a bit of time for it to heal” after crashing on the final descent of yesterday…<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T10:14:28.859Z<\/p>\n Jerseys after stage 5<\/p>\n GC – Jonas Vingegaard (TVL) For the first time in the race this year, all the riders that own the jersey will wear it as no-one leads in multiple classifications anymore such as Godon in GC and points of Veistroffer in KOM and points.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T10:11:12.773Z<\/p>\n Two riders didn’t start yesterday and six didn’t finish. They were:<\/p>\n Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) 2026-03-28T10:06:56.149Z<\/p>\n But onto today, it is the final mountain stage. The riders will roll out of Berga and head across the 158.2km route that takes in four categorised climbs, including the Especial climb of the Coll de Pradell, as well as two intermediate sprints and a summit finish on the category 1 ascent of the Queralt.<\/p>\n The riders have 3614 metres of climbing to do but the first climb, the Coll de la Batallola, doesn’t top out until after 60km of riding has been completed.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Volta a Catalunya)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T10:03:43.543Z<\/p>\n Patrick Lefevere has voiced his opinion on his former rider, Evenepoel, yet again saying how the Belgian star should focus on one-day races rather than week long stage races and Grand Tours…<\/p>\n >>> ‘It may well turn out that he’s a one-day rider’ \u2013 Former manager Patrick Lefevere questions Remco Evenepoel’s racing priorities<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T10:01:59.461Z<\/p>\n It was a mixed day in the GC fight for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe as their big name leader, Remco Evenepoel, faltered on La Molina. However, their other GC man, Florian Lipowitz, shone brightly and finished fourth on the day and is well in the fight for a GC podium. His first since his surprise podium finish at last year’s Tour de France.<\/p>\n >>> ‘No reason to panic’ \u2013 Remco Evenepoel drops down Volta a Catalunya standings as Florian Lipowitz closes in on podium<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T09:59:34.168Z<\/p>\n It was a very scary finale descent for Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) as he midjudged a corner and fell into a ravine.<\/p>\n “I was drinking on the descent and misjudged a corner,” Pidcock said in a team press release. “I overshot it and went down the ravine. It was like one of these horror crashes you see, but I’m very lucky that I am OK.<\/p>\n “I’ll go for a check, but I think I’m OK.”<\/p>\n “I am lucky I could talk on the radio. I was far from the road, and nobody knew I was there. I’m happy I could finish the stage.”<\/p>\n >>> ‘Today I lost a life for sure’ – Tom Pidcock ‘OK’ after crashing into a ravine in the Volta a Catalunya out of sight of race<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-03-28T09:57:31.813Z<\/p>\n Let’s take a look back at the amazing action of the first summit finish yesterday with our post race report…<\/p>\n
\n120km to go<\/p>\n
Brandon McNulty (UAD)
Bart Lemmen (TVL)
Giulio Ciccone (LTK)
Andrea Raccagni Noviero (SOQ)
Michael Leonard (EFE)
David De La Cruz (PQT)
Nairo Quintana (MOV)
Embret Svestad-B\u00e5rdseng (IGD)
Ramses Debruyne (APT)
Andreas Leknessund (UXM)
George Steinhauser (EFE)
Jake Stewart (NSN)<\/p>\n
\nAttack!<\/p>\n
Byron Munton (Modern Adventure)<\/p>\n![\"QUERALT,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/H25E3TUtGiPpoRckKZpVt3.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"QUERALT,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/UGZNwwz8ovnC9DwZTcmSS6.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\nAttack<\/p>\n
Jonas Hvideberg (Uno-X Mobility)<\/p>\n![\"QUERALT,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/d3E4BjVaWYgAJe36N6EpCb.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
\n158.2km to go<\/p>\n
\nCrash<\/p>\n![\"BERGA,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/McvNrUkujubWg5wgAhN5ba.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Volta](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/h7k5aiSnWn5qZvgpSqJGjC.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
Points – Dorian Godon (IGD)
KOM – Baptiste Veistroffer (LOI)
Youth – Lenny Martinez (TBV)<\/p>\n![\"Stage](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/jKtwMPaAtwn8uf7RT7iuGj.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
Noah Hobbs (EF Edcuation-EasyPost)
Noa Isidore (Decathlon-CMA CGM)
Sam Bennett (Pinarello-Q36.5)
Mathieu Kockelmann (Lotto-Intermarche)
Kieran Haug (Modern Adventure)}
Alexey Lutsenko (NSN)
Nico Denz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)<\/p>\n![\"Profiles](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/pGxV3H6Mb7iRa2FhMWntoJ.png\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"VILA-SECA,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/M4LHVEvz6Ex8kW2Xj923hn.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"LA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7daaDk8MCNriTqMMRKTqhW.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"LA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/gcWrEqGN7MV4UyHkTaW2v4.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
![\"LA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/DgvHgzcJviF7nsZBdAJJV9.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"BERGA,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sEbro3vqvk3fp4NxKHLSdV.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n