Ally Wollaston repeats victory in Barcelona to close the Volta a Catalunya for Marianne Vos
June 9 th 2024 - 16:26 [GMT + 2]
The first women's edition of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya closed this Sunday in Barcelona in a thrilling finish on Avinguda Maria Cristina. The young New Zealander Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal Team), who had already won her first stage in Manresa, added her second victory in a new sprint finish in the final stage, beating again Marianne Vos (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), who has secured her victory in the overall classification. The world cycling legend has been proclaimed as the first winner in the history of the Volta a Catalunya, with a stage win and two second places.
The third and last stage of this Volta a Catalunya had a route of 86.6 kilometers starting from Molins de Rei and finishing in Barcelona, which promised surprises with a route through the Barcelona region with two mountain passes: the Alt dels Casots (2nd category) and the Alt de Begues (3rd category). A day that was to define the final winner of three days for history. The possibilities of the mid-mountain course were felt with the great combativeness experienced throughout the day. Leonie Laubig (Primeau Vélo-Groupe Abadie) was the first great protagonist of the day with a solo breakaway that lasted until the first climb of the day.
However, the combativeness did not stop, with continuous breakaway attempts with protagonists such as the same second overall, Riejanne Markus (Team Visma-Lease a Bike). Finally, the most decisive attack was led at the Alt de Begues by Germany's Aileen Schweikart (Laboral Kutxa-Fundación Euskadi) and the Dutch rider Loes Adegeest (FDJ-SUEZ), who went solo on the descent and was not caught until the very approach to the finish at Gran Via in Barcelona. Nothing could prevent the final stage of this historic Volta to the city of Barcelona from ending in a new sprint finish, which has practically copied the arrival of the first stage to Manresa.
The young New Zealander Ally Wollaston (FDJ-SUEZ) was the fastest in a very tight finish against Marianne Vos (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), the great dominator of this Volta a Catalunya, in which she has ended up taking the final victory, the stage of La Molina and two partial second places. Marianne Vos, a cycling legend with more than 250 professional victories and three world championships has climbed the final podium in Barcelona as winner, ahead of her teammate Riejanne Markus and the Norwegian Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility), winner of the reVolta 2021. An exceptional finish to close a first women's Volta a Catalunya that will mark a before and after.
1st Volta Ciclista a Catalunya:
- 1. Marianne Vos (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) 7:42:54
- 2. Riejanne Markus (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) a 1:06
- 3. Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) a 1:14
- 4. Kimberley Le Court (AG Insurance-Soudal Team) a 1:34
- 5. Solbjørk Minke Anderson (Uno-X Mobility) a 1:34
- 6. Cédrine Kerbaol (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) a 1:42
- 7. Fem van Empel (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) a 1:42
- 8. Rosita Reijnhout (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) a 1:42
- 9. Maud Oudeman (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) a 1:42
- 10. Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) a 1:42
- Points classification: Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance-Soudal Team)
- QOM classification: Justine Ghekiere (AG Insurance-Soudal Team)
- Best young rider: Solbjørk Minke Anderson (Uno-X Mobility)
- Best Catalan rider: Mireia Benito (AG Insurance-Soudal Team)
- Team's classification: Team Visma | Lease a Bike
- Full classifications.