La Seu d'Urgell will host one stage start of the Volta

February 5 ^th 2024 - 10:30 [GMT + 1]

The town of La Seu d'Urgell will host a stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, which will be premiered as the starting point of the women's race.

La Seu d’Urgell, a classic among the cities of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya in the more than 100 years of history of the Catalan race will repeat the experience, premiering as the starting venue of the women's race. The city of more than 12.000 citizens has hosted the men's race on 22 times, being the starting venue on 13 occasions and the finishing point a total of 9 times.

In 1930, La Seu d'Urgell hosted for the first time a start of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. A loop stage that saw the cyclist from Navarra, Mariano Cañardo (seven times winner of the Volta, historical record of the race), win the stage. An experience that the city has repeated, being in 2022 the last time that the town organized the start of one of the stages of the race. In 2010 was the last time that the town was the finishing point of one of the stages, whose victory went to the Catalan Xavi Tondo.

Joan Barrera, mayor of La Seu d' Urgell has valued very positively this new collaboration with the Volta, which will again give prominence to cycling in this city that has had, for a long time, a close and historical relationship with cycling in general and with the Volta in particular. "La Seu d'Urgell is a city of sport and, very especially, of women's sport. Therefore, participating in the first edition of the women's stage race of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, responds to this spirit and reaffirms the commitment that the city has always made, in a decisive way, for sport and women's sport. We are proud to become protagonists of this historic milestone and grateful to the Volta for trusting again in La Seu d'Urgell in this significant event."

For his part, Rubèn Peris, general director of the Volta, has expressed his joy at having the support of the city in the women's Volta; "For us, La Seu d'Urgell is much more than just one of the starting venues of the race. The city's commitment to cycling and especially to the Volta dates to the 1930's. Now, with the promotion of the women's race to the UCI 2.1 category, we are proud to have their support as the starting venue for one of the stages of the race." The capital of Alt Urgell has an important Romanesque legacy. The Cathedral of Santa Maria, dating from the 12th century, is the only Romanesque cathedral preserved in Catalonia.

Together with its cloister and the church of Sant Miquel, it offers the visitor a getaway of great architectural interest. The town is the nerve center of the region. Located in the center of the Catalan Pyrenees, the town boosts many sporting activities thanks to the passage of the Segre and Valira rivers, which allow the practice of rafting and canoeing.

Such is its importance, that the Olympic Park of the city was the cradle in 1992, of the Olympic canoeing competitions. In addition, La Seu d'Urgell can boast of being a lively city with a varied cultural and gastronomic offer, which attracts numerous tourists throughout the year.  

The Volta Ciclista Catalunya that will take place from June 7 to 9, 2024 will live one of the most demanding routes of the race in the second stage.