Stage 1 is an out-and-back race from coastal town Sant Feliu de Guíxols. After a hilly detour through Catalonia’s interior the home straight runs slightly uphill.
The 2nd stage crosses the border into France to finish in Perpignan. It’s a lumpy race with a promising finale.
The high mountain stages of the Volta a Catalunya race go back-to-back. Stage 3 crosses back into Spain to finish on the familiar La Molina climb, which was also included in the years 2014-2019. The ascent is 12.1 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 4.3%.
Stage 4 presents the second test at high altitude. The finishing ascent to ski resort Boí Taüll adds up to 14.2 kilometres and averages 5.5%.
Another Pyrenean stage is on offer on stage 5. That is, the race starts in La Pobla de Segur, a historic village in the Lleida Pyrenees, but finishes on the Mediterranean coast – in Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Both start and finish of stage 6 are on the Costa Daurada. In fact, as the crow flies it’s only 6 kilometres from Salou to Cambrils, but the riders take a lumpy detour featuring the Prades Mountains and the Serra de Montsant mountain range.
The 7th stage of the Volta a Catalunya is a familiar one. As always, the race finishes on the hilly Montjuïc circuit in Barcelona.
Volta a Catalunya 2022: route, profiles, more
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