Volta a Catalunya stage 3: Adam Yates soars to mountaintop win

Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers) took the stage 3 win of the 2021 Volta a Catalunya.

Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) went with Yates’ attack midway up the final climb but was not able to stay with the twin riding for the British squad.

“I just felt good,” Yates said. “I had enough momentum and enough speed to go straight past.”

This is Yates’ first win of the season, and on a climb that he last won in 2019.

“My first victory for my new team. I’m really happy,” said Yates.

How it happened

A nine-man break had escaped early on and had as much as a five-minute advantage at 45 kilometers of racing to go.

This advantage was steadily brought back by the chasing peloton, with overall leader João Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) protected by teammates.

Into the remaining 12km of the final climb with 7 percent average grades, the break came apart and 6 remained, as Marc Soler (Movistar Team) was shed from the main bunch.

Shortly after the Movistar leader was dropped Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Luis León Sánchez (Astana Premier-Tech) were also shed.

Stage 2 winner Rohan Dennis (Ineos Grenadiers) took teammates Richard Carapaz, Richie Porte, and Geraint Thomas into the final 10km, while Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) moved to the front, policed by Porte and Kuss.

The remains of the break with Sean Bennett (Trek-Segafredo) and Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) pressed on for another kilometer until Bennett could not hold Arensman’s wheel.

Valverde launched another attack chasing after the sole leader Arensman, and only Carapaz responded. But moments later, a powerful-looking Nairo Quintana (Arkéa-Samsic) hopped on Carapaz’s wheel, continued on, and brought back Valverde.

With less than five kilometers left, Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) brought the group together behind Arensman.

Yates blasted out of the main group with Kuss, and connected with Carapaz and Quintana, dropping the Trek-Segafredo rider.

Great to see another win! Well done @AdamYates7 @INEOSGrenadiers #VoltaCatalunya100 https://t.co/iRCfdnFYDi

— INEOS Grenadier (@INEOSGrenadier) March 24, 2021

Behind the action, race leader Almeida and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) could not match the tempo on the front and settled into the chase group.

The four continued to attack each other while behind them riders were coming off both ends of the chase group as the general classification was up for grabs.

Esteban Chaves (Team BikeExchange) rocketed out of the remains of the chase group, after the leaders with less than 3.8km to go.

Yates and Kuss traded attacks which dropped Carapaz and an already fading Valverde. Seeing the attrition, Hugh Carthy (EF Education-Nippo) went after the lead group.

Just inside of 2km to go, Yates launched an attack — the final blow to Kuss — and quickly pulled away from his pursuers.

In the final kilometer, Chaves surged past the American Kuss who looked to be moving backward.

Yates gave a victory salute with Chaves in pursuit, while veteran Spanish rider Valverde pushed back into third place.

Yates’ teammate Thomas missed out on the stage podium but rode into fourth overall.

With a strong finish on the day, Porte is now in second place overall, giving the Ineos Grenadiers three of the top four general classification placings.

“It was a long climb, a very hard climb,” said Yates. “Everything was perfect and in the end, we had cards to play — and we played them well, with Richie going with the first move and then I came across and just kept going.”

What’s to come

Stage 4 of the 2021 Volta a Catalunya, from Ripoll to Port Ainé (166.5km) will again test the climbers.

The cat 1 climb over the Port de Toses (3.1km at 9.1 percent) awaits at 32km, followed by the HC climb over the Port de Cantó (24.7 at 4.4 percent), and then the conclusion of the stage on the Port Ainé (19km at 7.5 percent)