2018 Volta a Catalunya

As the Volta a Catalunya was a UCI World Tour event, all eighteen UCI WorldTeams were invited automatically and obliged to enter a team in the race. Seven UCI Professional Continental teams competed, completing the 25-team peloton.[5][6] Two of the Professional Continental teams, Burgos BH and Euskadi–Murias, made their début at UCI World Tour level.

The full route of the 2018 Volta a Catalunya was announced on 12 March 2018.[7]

The third stage, initially due to be held over 199.2 km (124 mi) between Sant Cugat del Vallès and Vallter 2000–Setcases, was shortened due to the threat of poor weather conditions.[8] As a result, the stage was shortened to 153.2 km (95 mi), and the stage finish was moved to Camprodon.[9] The sixth stage, initially due to be held over 194.2 km (121 mi) between Vielha–Val d'Aran and Torrefarrera, was shortened due to heavy snow in the start location.[10] As a result, the stage was shortened to 117 km (73 mi), and the stage start was moved to La Pobla de Segur.[11]

Stage schedule[12]

Stage	Date	Route	Distance	Type		Winner
1	19 March	Calella to Calella	152.3 km (95 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Álvaro José Hodeg (COL)
2	20 March	Mataró to Valls	175.6 km (109 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
3	21 March	Sant Cugat del Vallès to Camprodon	153.2 km (95 mi)[lower-alpha 1]		Mountain stage	Thomas De Gendt (BEL)
4	22 March	Llanars to La Molina	170.8 km (106 mi)		Mountain stage	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
5	23 March	Llívia to Vielha–Val d'Aran	212.9 km (132 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Jarlinson Pantano (COL)
6	24 March	La Pobla de Segur to Torrefarrera	117 km (73 mi)[lower-alpha 2]		Hilly stage	Maximilian Schachmann (GER)
7	25 March	Barcelona to Barcelona	154.8 km (96 mi)		Hilly stage	Simon Yates (GBR)

In the 2018 Volta a Catalunya, four different jerseys were awarded. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. Time bonuses were awarded to the first three finishers on all stages: the stage winner won a ten-second bonus, with six and four seconds for the second and third riders respectively. Bonus seconds were also awarded to the first three riders at intermediate sprints; three seconds for the winner of the sprint, two seconds for the rider in second and one second for the rider in third. The leader of the general classification received a white and green jersey.[34] This classification was considered the most important of the 2018 Volta a Catalunya, and the winner of the classification was considered the winner of the race.

The second classification was the sprints classification, the leader of which was awarded a white and orange jersey.[34] In the sprints classification, riders received points for finishing in the top three at intermediate sprint points during each stage. There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a white and red jersey. Points for this classification were won by the first riders to the top of each categorised climb, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs.[34] Double points were also scheduled to be awarded at the summit finishes at Vallter 2000–Setcases (special-category) and La Molina (first-category),[34] however the Vallter 2000–Setcases finish was removed due to the threat of poor weather.[8]

The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white and blue jersey.[34] Only riders born after 1 January 1993 were eligible; the young rider best placed in the general classification was the leader of the young rider classification.[34] There was also a classification for teams, in which the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added together; the leading team at the end of the race was the team with the lowest total time.[34]

Stage	Winner	General classification	Mountains classification	Sprints classification	Young rider classification	Teams classification
1[35]	Álvaro José Hodeg	Álvaro José Hodeg	Wilmar Paredes	Tom Bohli	Álvaro José Hodeg	Bora–Hansgrohe
2[36]	Alejandro Valverde	Alejandro Valverde	Pierre Latour		Matej Mohorič	Bahrain–Merida
3[37]	Thomas De Gendt	Thomas De Gendt	Thomas De Gendt	Lluís Mas		Lotto–Soudal
4[38]	Alejandro Valverde	Alejandro Valverde	Alejandro Valverde		Egan Bernal	Movistar Team
5[39]	Jarlinson Pantano
6[40]	Maximilian Schachmann
7[1]	Simon Yates				Pierre Latour
Final[1]		Alejandro Valverde	Alejandro Valverde	Lluís Mas	Pierre Latour	Movistar Team

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