The Volta a Catalunya last visited Mataró in 2021. Peter Sagan sprinted to triumph in the street of the coastal town just north of Barcelona. The four editions before that Mataró served as a starting venue. Which will again be the case this year.
The riders set sail for the Pyrenees and, eventually, a summit finish in Vallter 2000. The ski station is situated at 2,150 metres above sea level and to get there the road climbs for 11 kilometres at 7.6%.
Adam Yates won the last two stages in Vallter 2000. Two years ago with a solo, and in 2019 he outsprinted his fellow-attackers Egan Bernal, Dan Martin, Nairo Quintana and Miguel Ángel López.
The run-up to the finish climb is not very remarkable. The riders travel mostly on flat to rolling roads. The Alt de Can Bordoi appears early on and a 15 kilometres false flat begins around the midway marker and leads to the intermediate sprint in Diot. Shortly the Coll de Coubet ascends for 9.2 kilometres at 5.5% with some sections at 10%. Following a relatively short downhill the road climbs at very shallow gradients to the base of the finish climb.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while intermediate sprints come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 2 Volta 2023.
Another interesting read: results 2nd stage 2023 Volta a Catalunya.
Volta a Catalunya 2023, stage 2: route, profile, more
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