27 Mar 2021
Team ready for Catalunya finale
Related riders
Adam Yates
Volta a Catalunya - Stage 6 » Tarragona › Mataró, 193.8km Settimana Coppi e Bartali - Stage 5 » Forlì › Forlì. 166.2km
The INEOS Grenadiers retained the top three positions at the head of the Volta a Catalunya after working hard throughout stage six.
The penultimate test ended in a sprint finish but the team ensured they placed numbers around leader Adam Yates and fellow podium positioned riders Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas.
Yates takes a 45-second advantage into the final day, and a notoriously tricky circuit around Montjuic in Barcelona.
The penultimate test ended in a sprint finish but the team ensured they placed numbers around leader Adam Yates and fellow podium positioned riders Richie Porte and Geraint Thomas.
Yates takes a 45-second advantage into the final day, and a notoriously tricky circuit around Montjuic in Barcelona.
Reaction
- Adam Yates
"It was good, it was the first day we didn't have to work or pull or do anything really. It was about staying in position and staying out of trouble. It was a welcome rest, because like I've been saying for a few days, the Barcelona stage tomorrow is going to be super tough. We needed to save all the energy we could for tomorrow.
"Once you get to the circuit it's relentless. You go up, then down a tricky descent. You don't really get time to recover - then you're already on to the next climb. It's a real tough circuit. I've done it before so I know just how hard it is.
"The boys are looking good. We stayed out of trouble today and I think it's going to be about more of the same tomorrow - trying to control the race."
- Adam Yates
"It was good, it was the first day we didn't have to work or pull or do anything really. It was about staying in position and staying out of trouble. It was a welcome rest, because like I've been saying for a few days, the Barcelona stage tomorrow is going to be super tough. We needed to save all the energy we could for tomorrow.
"Once you get to the circuit it's relentless. You go up, then down a tricky descent. You don't really get time to recover - then you're already on to the next climb. It's a real tough circuit. I've done it before so I know just how hard it is.
"The boys are looking good. We stayed out of trouble today and I think it's going to be about more of the same tomorrow - trying to control the race."
Saturday also saw the conclusion of Settimana Coppi e Bartali on a tough circuit around Forli.
Ethan Hayter continued his consistent form with fourth place on the stage, narrowly missing out on an overall podium after being leapfrogged by the day's victor Mikkel Honore (Deceuninck-Quick-Step).
Hayter finished fourth on GC, 36 seconds back on overall victor Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), but can take great heart from how well he rode, both in the sprints and on tough climbing courses. Sadly Ivan Sosa was unable to complete the race, still suffering the effects of his crash on Friday.
Ben Swift did some good work for the team as part of the day's seven-man breakaway.
Ethan Hayter continued his consistent form with fourth place on the stage, narrowly missing out on an overall podium after being leapfrogged by the day's victor Mikkel Honore (Deceuninck-Quick-Step).
Hayter finished fourth on GC, 36 seconds back on overall victor Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), but can take great heart from how well he rode, both in the sprints and on tough climbing courses. Sadly Ivan Sosa was unable to complete the race, still suffering the effects of his crash on Friday.
Ben Swift did some good work for the team as part of the day's seven-man breakaway.
