Volta a Catalunya 2012 Live Dashboard
Race Info, Preview, Live Video, Results, Photos and Highlights
Race Info, Preview, Live Video, Results, Photos and Highlights
 The 2012 Volta a Catalunya has more hills near the end of the stages which should make for good TV viewing; the race will be broadcasted live this year (details below).  Big Photos from 2011 - all 7 Stages — reuters/flockton |
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| 1 | Monday, March 19 | 139 km | ||||||||||
| Calella → Calella | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Tuesday, March 20 | 161 km | ||||||||||
| Girona → Girona | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Wednesday, March 21 | 211 km | ||||||||||
 La Vall d'en Bas → Port-Ainé | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Thursday, March 22 | 199 km | ||||||||||
| Tremp → Ascó La vostra energia | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Friday, March 23 | 207 km | ||||||||||
| Ascó La vostra energia → Manresa | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Saturday, March 24 | 169 km | ||||||||||
| Sant Fruitós de Bages → Badalona Centre Comercial Màgic | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Sunday, March 25 | 120 km | ||||||||||
| Badalona Centre Comercial Màgic → Barcelona | ||||||||||||
| profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video | ||||||||||||
| Total Distance | 1206 km | |||||||||||
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News and Updates for Volta a Catalunya 2012
Also Sunday: The final (mountain) stage of Criterium International (2.HC FRA): race info, startlist and broadcasters now posted + results, photos and highlights from the first two stages. Also, the next classic of the season, Gent-Wevelgem is Sunday with live video.
Stage 7 results: Julien Simon (Saur - Sojasun) wins his second stage while Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE) completes his wire-to-wire overall win
Stage 7 Results 1 SIMON, Julien (SAUR - SOJASUN) 2:47:02 2 GAVAZZI, Francesco (ASTANA) 3 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - ISD) 4 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) 5 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (ASTANA) 6 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) 7 KRUIJSWIJK, Steven (RABOBANK) 8 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) 9 PATERSKI, Maciej (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) 10 MENCHOV, Denis (KATUSHA) Final General Classification 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 24:15:45 2 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) + 1:30 3 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 1:32 4 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 5 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) 6 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - ISD) 7 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (ASTANA) 8 CARRARA, Matteo (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) 9 CATALDO, Dario (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) 10 PARDILLA BELLON, Sergio (MOVISTAR)
Simon wins again in Volta a Catalunya, Albasini seals final overall victory
— velonation
Last Km of Stage 7
(02:29 HQ Spanish) — rtve.esLast Minute of Stage 7 (01:00 Ambient Noise, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Brief Highlights from Stage 7 (01:00 English, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Stage 7 Highlights (05:05 English) — universalsports
Stage 7 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (English, subscription required) — cycling.tvStage 7 preview: Badalona Centre Comercial Màgic → Barcelona, 120 km ()
March 25 update: The last stage of this year's turbulent Volta. It looks like Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE), who was allowed to escape on Stage 1, is going to go wire-to-wire in the leader's jersey and win the race. Good things happen when you race aggressively so good for him. The final stage is a rolling/hilly stage around Barcelona with a cat 3 climb near the finish. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — SteveStage 7 start time: Sunday 12:20 CET (11:20:00 AM GMT+0000); Weather for Badalona Centre Comercial Màgic, Spain
Earliest live video: 13:45 CET (12:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 14:59 CET (1:59:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Barcelona, Spain
Stage 6 results
Stage 6 Results 1 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) 4:04:50 2 DAVIS, Allan (GREENEDGE) + 0:02 3 SIMON, Julien (SAUR - SOJASUN) 4 José HAEDO, Juan (SAXO BANK) 5 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - ISD) 6 GAVAZZI, Francesco (ASTANA) 7 SABATINI, Fabio (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) 8 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 9 APPOLLONIO, Davide (SKY PROCYCLING) 10 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) General Classification after Stage 6 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 21:28:43 2 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) + 1:30 3 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 1:32 4 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 5 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) 6 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - ISD) 7 PARDILLA BELLON, Sergio (MOVISTAR) 8 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (ASTANA) 9 CATALDO, Dario (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) 10 CARRARA, Matteo (VACANSOLEIL-DCM)
Sanchez sneaks away to stage 6 win
(Full Results) — cyclingnewsSanchez grabs stage with late attack
— velonationSamuel Sánchez se anticipa al sprint: “He arriesgado más de lo previsto, pensaba que me caía” — biciciclismoFinal Kms of Stage 6 (12:47 Spanish) — tdp
Brief Highlights from Stage 6 (01:00 English, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Stage 6 Photos — biciciclismoStage 6 Highlights (03:35 English) — universalsports
Stage 6 preview: Sant Fruitós de Bages → Badalona Centre Comercial Màgic, 169 km (rolling/hilly)
March 23 update: A rolling/hilly stage with three cat 3 climbs before a descending and flat finish. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — SteveStage 6 start time: Saturday 13:00 CET (12:00:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Sant Fruitós de Bages, Spain
Earliest live video: 15:45 CET (2:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 17:45 CET (4:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Badalona Centre Comercial Màgic, Spain
Stage 5 results
Stage 5 Results 1 SIMON, Julien (SAUR - SOJASUN) 4:58:27 2 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) 3 SZMYD, Sylvester (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) 4 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) 5 CATALDO, Dario (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) 6 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) 7 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 8 MENCHOV, Denis (KATUSHA) 9 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 10 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (ASTANA) General Classification after Stage 5 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 17:23:51 2 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) + 1:32 3 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 4 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) 5 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING)
Simon sprints to stage 5 win in Catalunya
(Full Results) — cyclingnewsSimon wins stage 5, Albasini retains race lead
— velonationFinal Kms of Stage 5 (11:10 Catalan) — esport3
Stage 5 Highlights (03:39 English) — universalsports
Last Minute of Stage 5 (01:00 Ambient Noise, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Final Kms of Stage 5 (06:59 English) — eurosport
Stage 5 Photos — biciciclismoStage 5 preview: Ascó La vostra energia → Manresa, 207 km (hilly)
March 21 update: The descending finish of Stage 4 was fun so lets to it again. Stage 5 will end with a cat 1 climb and descent into Manresa however the descent is more gradual than yesterday's and it starts further out. See the climb details for stage 5 below. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve[More] Chaos in Catalunya as snow temporarily hems in five teams
— velonationBasso's Giro d'Italia preparation suffers a blow
— cyclingnewsCategorized Climbs for Stage 5:
| Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Grade | Max | Cat | Google Earth | Streetview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26.2 / 181 | ALT DE LA GRANADELLA | 6.5 km | 5 % | 7.0 % | 2 |  3D Tour |  Streetview |
| 170.5 / 37 | ALT DE MONTSERRAT | 7.6 km | 5.5 % | 8.0 % | 1 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
Stage 5 start time: Friday 12:05 CET (11:05:00 AM GMT+0000); Weather for Ascó La vostra energia, Spain
Earliest live video: 15:45 CET (2:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 17:00 CET (4:00:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Manresa, Spain
Stage 4 results: Exciting downhill finish goes to Rigoberto Uran (Sky); Race leader Michael Albasini finishes with the winning group
Stage 4 Results 1 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) 5:13:12 2 MENCHOV, Denis (KATUSHA) 3 SZMYD, Sylvester (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) 4 MONCOUTIE, David (COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE) 5 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) 6 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI) 7 CARRARA, Matteo (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) 8 CATALDO, Dario (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) 9 SIMON, Julien (SAUR - SOJASUN) 10 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (ASTANA) General Classification after Stage 4 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 12:25:24 2 MORABITO, Steve (BMC RACING) + 1:32 3 VAN DEN BROECK, Jurgen (LOTTO BELISOL) 4 MARTIN, Daniel (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 5 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, Samuel (EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI)
Uran times his sprint right on stage 4
(Full Results) — cyclingnewsVolta a Catalunya: Uran takes strong win, Albasini defends jersey
— velonationUran takes Tour of Catalonia stage four for Sky
— cyclingweekly.co.ukFinal Kms of Stage 4 (08:20 Catalan) — esport3
Last Minute of Stage 4 (01:00 Ambient Noise, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Stage 4 Highlights (04:07 English) — universalsports
Stage 4 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (English, subscription required) — cycling.tv Stage 4 Photos — biciciclismoFinal Climb and Descent of Stage 4 (26:59 English) — eurosport
Stage 4 preview: Tremp → Ascó La vostra energia, 199 km (hilly)
March 21 update: The stage 3 fiasco has tainted this year's race for so many reasons: it was the stage that never happened, the poor judgement of the race committee, the mass of abandonment riders that can come back to ride stage 4 and the crash injuries. Poor weather is again forecasted for Stage 4, but we are at lower elevation now. Three cat 2 climbs are scheduled with the same one ridden twice before the 20 km descent to the finish in Ascó. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve[More] Chaos in Catalunya as snow temporarily hems in five teams
— velonationBasso's Giro d'Italia preparation suffers a blow
— cyclingnewsCategorized Climbs for Stage 4:
| Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Grade | Max | Cat | Google Earth | Streetview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.8 / 171 | ALT DE FONTLLONGA | 5.2 km | 5.5 % | 7.0 % | 2 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 150 / 49 | COLL DE PAUMERES | 8.6 km | 5.6 % | 9.0 % | 2 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 179.8 / 19 | COLL DE PAUMERES | 8.6 km | 5.6 % | 9.0 % | 2 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
Stage 4 start time: Thursday 12:30 CET (11:30:00 AM GMT+0000); Weather for Tremp, Spain
Earliest live video: 15:50 CET (2:50:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 17:45 CET (4:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Ascó La vostra energia, Spain
Stage 3 results: Janez Brajkovic (AST) wins weather shortened stage 3. Stage was shortened to 155 km while a 12 man break had over 8 minutes advantage. No GC time counted.
Stage 3 results 1 Janez Brajkovic (Astana) 2 Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) 3 Mickael Cherel (AG2R) 4 Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil) 5 Thomas Rohregger (RadioShack-Nissan) 6 Christian Vandevelde (Garmin-Barracuda) 7 Johann Tschopp (BMC) 8 Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank) 9 Chris Sorensen (Saxo Bank) 10 Romain Bardet (AG2R) ... Peloton + 8 minutes GC after Stage 3 1 Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE)
Photos from early in the stage including the winning break — naciodigital.catVolta a Catalunya: Brajkovic wins shortened third stage
— velonationBrajkovic wins weather-shortened queen stage
— cyclingnewsBrajkovic wins weather-shortened Catalunya stage, Schleck abandons
— velonews
Full Results from Stage 3 — biciciclismo Finish of Stage 3
— pedalierweb.es Stage 3 Photos — biciciclismoChaos at Catalunya: Nearly 40 abandon, but officials might let them start Thursday
— velonewsSamuel Sánchez, “muy dolorido” por una caída en la Volta — biciciclismoAzevedo on Catalonia chaos: "It's war out there"
— cyclingweekly.co.ukDean collides with parked car at Catalunya, breaks leg
— cyclingnewsBrief report from the original finish of stage 3 (03:18 English) — eurosport
OPQS Team Bus at the finish: 'This picture says it all about the weather' — twitpicStage 3 preview: La Vall d'en Bas → Port-Ainé, 211 km (Mountain)
Update: Photo taken at 2012-03-21 12.01.34 (CET). No live coverage of today's race as the helicopter cannot fly due to bad weather. Photo sent via cycling tv. Stage has been shortened to 155 km and will now finish in Canturri.
March 20 update: Stage 3 is a romp through the Spanish Pyrénées featuring the most climbing of any day on the UCI Calendar to date. There are two cat 1 climbs in the first half of this 210 km stage and the day ends with consecutive hors categorie/especial climbs including the finish at a ski resort, Port-Ainé (18.9 km at 6.5%). See climb details and google climb goodies below. However, it's currently (2:00 CET) snowing there and snow is expected again on Wednesday so it's quite likely the stage finish will be shortened or moved; we know today's cyclists don't like to ride in the snow. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve
Google Earth Video of the Stage 3 Final Climb, HC Port-Ainé (03:13 No audio) — cyclingthealps
Categorized Climbs for Stage 3:
| Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Grade | Max | Cat | Google Earth | Streetview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.3 / 194 | ALT DE COUBET | 9.8 km | 5.5 % | 12 % | 1 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 50 / 161 | COLLADA DE TOSES | 24.5 km | 4 % | 6 % | 1 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 166.5 / 45 | PORT DEL CANTÓ | 24.6 km | 4.8 % | 12 % | HC | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 210.9 / 0 | PORT-AINÉ | 18.9 km | 6.5 % | 12 % | HC | 3D Tour | Streetview |
Stage 3 start time: Wednesday 11:15 CET (10:15:00 AM GMT+0000); Weather for La Vall d'en Bas, Spain
Earliest live video: No live video; Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 15:45 CET (2:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Port-Ainé, Spain
Stage 2 results: Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE) wins two in a row
Stage 2 PhotosStage 2 Results 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 3:52:07 2 CATALDO, Dario (OMEGA PHARMA-QUICKSTEP) 3 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (SKY PROCYCLING) 4 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE - ISD) 5 HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) 6 PARDILLA BELLON, Sergio (MOVISTAR) 7 JEANNESSON, Arnold (FDJ-BIG MAT) 8 LOSADA ALGUACIL, Alberto (KATUSHA) 9 PORTE, Richie (SKY PROCYCLING) 10 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (ASTANA) General Classification after Stage 2 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 7:12:11 2 HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN-BARRACUDA) + 1:32 3 CHEREL, Mikael (AG2R LA MONDIALE) 4 MORABITO, Steve (BMC RACING) 5 JEANNESSON, Arnold (FDJ-BIG MAT)
Full Results from Stage 2 — biciciclismoAlbasini wins second straight stage at Catalunya
— cyclingnewsMichael Albasini doubles up in the Volta a Catalunya
— velonationLast Minute of Stage 2 (01:00 Ambient Noise, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Final Kms of Stage 2 (14:13 Catalan) — esport3
Last Km of Stage 2
(01:12 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es Stage 2 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (Engish, subscription required) — cycling.tvStage 2 Highlights (04:13 English) — universalsports
Alejandro Valverde crashes out of contention in Volta a Catalunya
— velonationBrief Highlights from Stage 2 (01:00 English, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Stage 2 Photos — cyclingnews More Stage 2 Photos — biciciclismoFinal Kms of Stage 2 (09:03 English) — eurosport
Stage 2 preview: Girona → Girona, 161 km (hilly finish)
March 19 update: Stage 2 is a loop northeast of Girona, an area North America riders will know well because it's European base camp for many of them. The stage isn't difficult but there is a cat 3 and a cat 1 climb before a descending then flat finish which should be good for Samuel Sanchez and Damiano Cunego, if they feels inclined. The cat 1 climb, Alt Dels Àngels (picture above), is a popular training climb for the local pros. For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve
Categorized Climbs for Stage 2:
| Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Grade | Max | Cat | Google Earth | Streetview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 122.3 / 39 | ALT DE LA GANGA | 3.7 km | 4 % | 5 % | 3 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 143.3 / 18 | ALT DELS ÀNGELS | 6 km | 5.5 % | 8 % | 1 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
Stage 2 start time: Tuesday 13:10 CET (12:10:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Girona, Spain
Earliest live video: 15:45 CET (2:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 17:00 CET (4:00:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Girona, Spain
Stage 1 results: Break succeeds with Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE) soloing in from the cat 3 climb, 18 km from the finish
Stage 1 Results 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 3:20:04 2 DELAPLACE, Anthony (SAUR - SOJASUN) + 0:42 3 EDET, Nicolas (COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE) + 1:14 4 VAN HUMMEL, Kenny Robert (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) + 1:32 5 GASTAUER, Ben (AG2R LA MONDIALE) 6 KLUGE, Roger (PROJECT 1T4I) 7 DAVIS, Allan (GREENEDGE) 8 SABATINI, Fabio (LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE) 9 APPOLLONIO, Davide (SKY PROCYCLING) 10 GAVAZZI, Francesco (ASTANA) General Classification after Stage 1 1 ALBASINI, Michael (GREENEDGE) 3:20:04 2 DELAPLACE, Anthony (SAUR - SOJASUN) + 0:42 3 EDET, Nicolas (COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE) + 1:14 4 VAN HUMMEL, Kenny Robert (VACANSOLEIL-DCM) + 1:32 5 GASTAUER, Ben (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
Full Results from Stage 1 — biciciclismoAlbasini wins stage one of the Volta a Catalunya
— cyclingnewsGreenEdge win again as Albasini takes Catalunya opener
— cyclingweekly.co.ukMichael Albasini solos to Volta a Catalunya opener
— velonationFinal Kms of Stage 1 (09:25 Catalan) — esport3
5 Big Photos from Stage 1 — reutersLast Minute of Stage 1 (01:00 Ambient Noise, restricted to Europe) — eurosport
Last Km of Stage 1
(03:14 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es Stage 1 As-Live Repeat Broadcast (Engish, subscription required) — cycling.tvJoaquim Rodriguez concedes shoe change error caused tendonitis
— velonationStage 1 Highlights (03:59 English) — universalsports
Full Stage 1 As-Live Repeat
(57:37 HQ Spanish) — rtve.es More Stage 1 Photos — pedalier pro magazine Stage 1 preview: Calella → Calella, 139 km (hilly)
March 18 update: Stage 1 is a loop starting and ending in Calella, just up the coast from Barcelona. It's only 139 km long and there are three categorized climbs including at cat 1 at the halfway point. (see the climb details below). The race may come back together for the cat 3 climb near the finish. Expect the sprinter teams (not many) to chase down the break over the remaining 18 km to try and set up a sprint finish (Allan Davis/GreenEDGE, Francisco Gavazzi/Astana, Aitor Galdos/Caja Rural), one of the few expected this week.
For more stage details, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — SteveHorner skips Volta a Catalunya to heal minor injury from Tirreno
— cyclingnewsCategorized Climbs for Stage 1:
| Km / To Go | Climb | Length | Grade | Max | Cat | Google Earth | Streetview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58.4 / 81 | ALT DE VILADRAU | 15.5 km | 3 % | 9.0 % | 2 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 82.2 / 57 | ALT DE COLL FORMIC | 9.2 km | 4 % | 9.0 % | 1 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
| 120.9 / 18 | ALT DE COLLSACREU | 9.3 km | 3 % | 6.0 % | 3 | 3D Tour | Streetview |
Stage 1 start time: Monday 13:35 CET (12:35:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Calella, Spain
Earliest live video: 15:45 CET (2:45:00 PM GMT+0000); Live/delayed coverage options
Approximate finish: 16:54 CET (3:54:00 PM GMT+0000); Weather for Calella, Spain
March 18 update:
Official 2012 startlist now posted — steephill
March 16 update:
Stage maps and timetables ("ETAPA DETALLADA") are now posted. See race summary table (right).
2012 Volta a Catalunya Race Preview
March 18 update: Although the run up to this year's Volta a Catalunya was hampered by funding problems that threatened the race, it actually looks like this year's race will be better than previous years for two big reasons, the stages are more interesting and the end of each stage will be broadcasted live.
If you look at the profiles in the race summary table (right), you'll notice that most stages have a final climb near the finish and stage 3, Port-Ainé, will be a hors categorie mountaintop finish. Not surprisingly, 2010 Volta a Catalunya winner and local boy, Joaquim Rodríguez, is returning to the race after missing last year's edition [Joaquim Rodríguez won Volta a Catalunya in 2010. It's his home race, but he isn't racing it for the 2nd year in a row. Course suits him. Explanation?].The official startlist has been released and there are many big name climbers on it including this year's Paris-Nice winner, Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and 3rd overall Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), who won this race in 2009, as well as eventual 2010 Tour de France winner Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan). Tirreno-Adriatico runner-up Chris Horner is a late scratch. Also racing are Ivan Basso (Liquigas), David Moncoutie (Cofidis), Mikel Nieve and Samuel Sanchez from Euskaltel - Euskadi, Damiano Cunego (Lampre) , Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol), Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma QuickStep), Denis Menchov (Katusha), Dan Martin (Garmin) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank). A good course with a very good field, lets hope everyone comes to race. No time bonuses again this year. — Steve
Stellar field set to race in the Volta a Catalunya
— cyclingnews
Andy Schleck to ride Volta a Catalunya
— cyclingnews
Ivan Basso to make his return in the Volta a Catalunya
— velonation
History:
The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya is Spain's second biggest bike race after the Vuelta a Espana and the third oldest (1911) stage race in the world behind the Tour de France (1903) and the Giro d'Italia (1909).
Volta a Catalunya
Race History — en.wikipedia.org
March 13 update:
2012 Host towns, distances, stage profiles are now posted. See race summary table (right). — Steve
2012 Route Map
 
Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates. |
En Directo: Live Streaming Video, TV Coverage, Text Updates
March 19 update: Initial options to view the 2012 Volta a Catalunya. Check back at race time for updates to the online links and tv schedules. Feel free to send in additional sources for live video or tv coverage as they become known. We should have Big Photos from Reuters right after the race. More to come... — Steve| media source | tv or internet | comments/restrictions | |
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 live video (english)[subscription required] |
Worldwide excluding USA starting at 15:00 UTC (11:00 ET) on cycling.tv ; Subscribers will also get access to As-Live Rebroadcast and 30 minutes of highlights later in the day | |
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 live video
(catalan) live video
(catalan) tv schedule |
Daily live video of the "end of each stage and finish" on local sports channel Esport3 at 15:45 CET each day | |
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live video (english) live video (english) tv schedule (british) tv schedule (int'l/cet) |
Live at 15:00 BST (16:00 CET on Eurosport International) | |
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live video (spanish) tv schedule |
Spanish; Teledeporte feed. Stage 1 live at 16:00 CET | |
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live video ($ english) tv schedule (see comments) |
United States and Canada; live online ($9.99) at 8 AM ET; and TV coverage in select U.S. markets. Details to come. Universal Sports TV Channel. | |
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live text updates ESlive text updates EN |
The Spanish website Biciciclismo will have the latest race updates | |
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 steephill text updates #voltacatalunya |
short text updates from any and everyone | |
check back at race time for more and updated links;  send a comment or a new live link |
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Also known as Tour of Catalonia in English, Tour de Catalogne in French, Ronde van Catalonië in Dutch.