CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious continue their stage racing block this season at Volta a Catalunya – a seven-day UCI World Tour race kicking off today, where the general classification (GC) is often decided in the final days.
The 2026 edition will cover just over 1,000 kilometres, with more than 20,000 metres of climbing across the week.
The opening stages are not expected to be decisive, but they can still be tricky, so positioning and attention will be important from the start. The race then moves into the mountains, with three consecutive summit finishes expected to shape the overall standings. The final stage in Barcelona, on the Montjuic circuit, usually remains open and can still change the classification until the end.
Bahrain Victorious lines up with co-leaders Santiago Buitrago and Lenny Martinez, both arriving in good condition and targeting the GC.
Support in the mountains will come from Afonso Eulalio and Jakob Omrzel, who will make his World Tour debut. In the earlier stages, Matevz Govekar, Nikias Arndt, and Rainer Kepplinger will focus on protecting the leaders and keeping the team well positioned.
Bahrain Victorious sports director Xavier Florencio said: “Volta a Catalunya is an important race in the calendar and this year the route is very demanding. The first three stages may not look too difficult on paper, but it will be important to stay attentive and not lose time with our leaders.
“From stage four onwards, we have three mountain stages that will be decisive for the GC. Then, on the final day in Montjuic, as always, the race can still change with the circuit and the steep climb there.
“We come with a strong team. Lenny has shown good condition recently, and both he and Santi arrive in good form. The goal is to support them as best as possible in the GC fight. If the opportunity comes, we will also try to go for a stage win.”
Martinez added: “I really like Volta a Catalunya. It’s close to Andorra, so it always feels a bit special for me.
“I will share the leadership with Santi, which is nice, and I think we can do a really good race together. He has been very strong since the start of the season and we also have a strong team here.
“I feel motivated coming into the race. The goal is to do a good GC, like in Paris-Nice, and also to go for a stage win, which is an important objective for me.”
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