Alejandro Valverde of Movistar has won the second stage of the Volta a Catalunya.
This year’s race, the fourth oldest in the world, had Alvaro Hodeg of Quick Step as the race leader for a 175.6km stage from Mataró to Valls but started without Nacer Bouhanni.
Three riders in Mikel Bizkarra, Igor Merino and Antonio Molina were soon clear and were 3.50 away after twenty kilometres.
That was down to 1.30 with a hundred kilometres left but back up to over three minute.
Coming up to the first sprint and the riders were held up due to a level crossing and a tram passing.
Molina took the sprint points before Grivko, the KOM leader, jumped across to the break.
The gap started to fall and after Robert Gesink had abandoned the race, the break was caught with 47kms to go.
Cyril Barthe then led, taking the points on the second sprint ahead of Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana.
Barthe carried on with a lead that was at twenty seconds before being caught with 12.2kms remaining.
Pierre La Tour was first over the climb with eleven kilometres to go whilst Hodeg was now 1.35 further back down the road on a stage which was running over an hour late.
It was a fast run in with speeds at 72kmh gong into the final three kilometres of the stage.
Going into the flam rouge and the riders were strung out and in a messy sprint, Alejandro Valverde came up and won in 4.41.50 and took the lead of the race.
KEV MONKS FOR DIGITAL SPORTS GROUP
Source: DSG
