Best result of a French rider in the last eight years at the prestigious World Tour race.
The final stage of the Volta a Catalunya was a short one, just 95 kilometers in length, but it was by far the most intense of the whole week, as the riders didn’t have a moment of respite. The peloton was in Barcelona for the traditional circuit around Montjuic – the famous climb that was used also at the World, Le Tour and La Vuelta – for seven laps over the city’s famous hill.
This irregular climb was just 2.5km long, but what really mattered were the final 700 meters, which averaged 10%, thus offering plenty of opportunities for attacks before the fast downhill taking them close to the Venetian Towers, where the day concluded. With five laps to go, the first significant attacks came, and Valentin Paret-Peintre was quick to respond and join a ten-man group that put 20 seconds into the chasers.
Eventually, the race came back together, but on the last two ascents of Alto del Castell de Montjuic other riders tried to shake things up. Paret Peintre remained attentive and well-positioned the whole time, thanks to some solid work from Mikel Landa, and concluded with the main group the stage won by Brady Gilmore (NSN Cycling Team), sealing his best ever result in a World Tour race.
This stage in Barcelona is always crazy, and today was no exception.
“There were some insane speeds and many attacks the entire day, but with the help of the team I was there and could follow them. I’m happy with my result in the general classification, it’s a big confidence-boost to finish top five in this hard race. The guys worked for me the entire week and I’m grateful to them for this”, Valentin said at the finish in Catalunya.
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