Valls and pro-cycling is a weathered combination. In 2013 the town hosted the Vuelta a España, while in in last four editions of the Volta a Catalunya stages finished here. Simon Gerrans (2013), Luka Mezgec (2014), Alejandro Valverde (2015), and Wout Poels (2016) took the flowers.
No arrival in Valls this time, but the start of a possibly descisive stage.
The 5th stage of the Volta a Catalunya takes in the 14.4 kilometres Coll de Fatxes (averaging at 2.7%) in the first half of the race before a flat section of 55 kilometres through the delta of the Ebro River ushers in an explosive finale. Suddenly, with 8.4 kilometres left, the flatness makes way for steep ramps. The closing climb up to Lo Port is averaging 9%, while the max incline amounts to 20%.
The last victor at Lo Port was Luis Herrera. We’re talking 1991 here.
The first three riders on the line take time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while two intermediate sprints (at kilometre 109.1 and at kilometre 131.2) come with 3, 2 and 1 second each.
Results/race report 5th stage Volta a Catalunya 2017.
Volta a Catalunya 2017 stage 5: Route maps, height profiles, and more
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