Volta a Catalunya 2025 preview: Route, favourites, how to watch and start list

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Volta a Catalunya 2025 preview: Route, favourites, how to watch and start list

First held in 1911, the Volta a Catalunya is the fourth oldest stage race on the calendar, pre-dating the Vuelta a España. It takes place between the Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem Classics for seven stages of typically mountainous terrain around Catalonia before the finish in Barcelona. This year it takes place from 24th-30th March and begins in Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

The 2024 Volta a Catalunya was dominated by Tadej Pogačar, who led from his Stage 2 victory and won three more stages in the process as well as the points and mountains classifications.

Volta a Catalunya 2025 key information

• Date: 24th-30th March 2025
• Start: Sant Feliu de Guíxols
• Finish: Barcelona
• Stages: Seven
• UK TV coverage: TNT Sports

Volta a Catalunya 2025 route

Catalonia is simultaneously one of the world’s most popular cycling destinations and an underrated race location. The 2025 edition once again begins on the coast at Sant Feliu de Guíxols (where it has begun since 2022), just 30km from the cycling mecca of Girona, and the peloton will take in two categorised climbs around that area before returning to finish.

Stage 3 has the potential to rip the GC apart with four climbs including a summit finish on La Molina. Another summit finish takes place the following day on Monsterrat. The penultimate stage is brutal and the same as last year’s race, with five big climbs including the Coll de Pradell and a summit finish at Queralt.

It’s then a similar route to Barcelona with the same finishing circuit cresting the climb to Montjuïc castle, which will be used in the 2026 Tour de France Grand Départ. For this year’s race it has been shortened by 48km to make sure the race finishes by 1pm local time ‘to avoid affecting mobility and safety’.

Barcelona and Girona football teams are due to play at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium nearby so the Category 3 climb preceding the circuit has been removed.

Volta a Catalunya 2025 stage-by-stage preview

Stage 1: Monday 24th March, Sant Feliu de Guíxols – Sant Feliu de Guíxols, 178.3km

There’s a reason why the Volta a Catalunya is always one of the most entertaining week-long stage races. It’s hard from the very start and there’s an uphill finish to contend with on the first stage just like last year.

Stage 2: Tuesday 25th March, Banyoles – Figueres, 177.3km

Here’s what a ‘flat’ stage looks like at the Volta a Catalunya. A nice Category 1 climb to contend with halfway through the day.

Stage 3: Wednesday 26th March, Viladecans – La Molina, 218.6km

Things get brutal towards the end of Stage 3 with the first unclassified climb of the race in the Coll de la Creueta hitting just before the summit finish on La Molina. The final climb is 11.4km with a 5.9% average, however that includes the downhill section towards the top – the maximum gradient reaches almost 11% in the early slopes. This is also the longest stage of the race at almost 219km.

Stage 4: Thursday 27st March, Sant Vicenç de Castellet – Montserrat, 188.7km

In a continuously rolling parcours, Stage 4 embraces another summit finish on the Category 1 Montserrat, which is 8.4km in length at 6.7% and it’s a pretty consistent gradient all the way up.

Stage 5: Friday 28th March, Paüls – Amposta, 172km

The flattest of the flat stages still has a climb early on, but the sprinters who have, for whatever reason, decided to come to this race should get their opportunity here.

Stage 6: Saturday 29th March, Berga – Queralt, 159km

The GC contenders will be to the fore on the latter half of this stage, with three big climbs including another summit finish up the 7.6km climb to the Santuari de Queralt. That final ascent has an average of 5.5% but the second half is much steeper than the first, hitting a max of 11%.

Stage 7: Sunday 30th March, Barcelona – Barcelona, 88.2km

The final stage is 88.2km instead of the originally planned 136km because of a nearby football match. The Alt del Castell de Montjuïc, aka the climb up to Montjuïc Castle in Barcelona, is only 2km with an average gradient of 4.8% but the six ascents will no doubt act as springboards for attacks. It was here last year that Pogačar took win number four of the race.

Volta a Catalunya 2025 favourites

The Volta a Catalunya is often used as a warm-up race for riders going to the Giro d’Italia, so the headline battle with be between Juan Ayuso and Primož Roglič. Looking to challenge them will be a strong group of second-tier GC riders who are certainly capable of causing a stir.

• ★★★★★: Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
• ★★★★: Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep)
• ★★★: Felix Gall (Decathlon-AG2R), Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike), Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech)
• ★★: Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers), Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike), Enric Mas (Movistar)
• ★: Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek), Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), Javier Romo (Movistar), Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto)

Volta a Catalunya 2025: How to watch

The Volta a Catalunya is being shown on TNT Sports in the UK, but elsewhere in Europe, Eurosport will still provide live images to 54 territories, with viewers in Denmark and Norway available to watch on TV2. Those in Spain can watch on Esport 3 and in Catalunya it’s on TV3.

Worldwide coverage extends to Claro Sports in several Latin American territories, Supersport in Sub-Saharan Africa and Eurosports Asia in the Pan Asia Pacific, Abu Dhabi Sports in the Middle East and North Africa, Caracol/RCN in Colombia, SBS in Australia, JSports in Japan and FloBikes in Canada. Those in the US can watch on NBC Sports/Peacock.

If the Volta a Catalunya isn’t being broadcast in your country, or you are travelling abroad, a VPN will allow you to hide your device’s location to access content that is normally geo-blocked. One such VPN provider is ExpressVPN, which is well reviewed, helps users to find free to watch cycling, and costs start from around £5 per month.

• Read more: How to watch cycling for less in the UK
• Read more: Which countries can watch cycling for free in 2025?

Volta a Catalunya 2025 UK TV times

Stage 1, Monday 24th March

• TNT Sports online: 14:15-16:15
• TNT Sports 1: 14:15-16:15

Stage 2, Tuesday 25th March

• TNT Sports online: 14:15-16:15
• TNT Sports 1: 14:15-16:15

Stage 3, Wednesday 26th March

• TNT Sports online: 14:15-16:15
• TNT Sports 1: 14:15-16:15

Stage 4, Thursday 27th March

• TNT Sports online: 14:15-16:15
• TNT Sports 1: 14:15-16:15

Stage 5, Friday 28th March

• TNT Sports online: 13:15-15:15
• TNT Sports 1: 13:15-15:15

Stage 6, Saturday 29th March

• TNT Sports online: 14:15-16:15
• TNT Sports 4: 14:15-16:15

Stage 7, Sunday 30th March

• TNT Sports online: 10:15-12:15
• TNT Sports 1: 11:00-13:15

Stages 1-6 GMT and Stage 7 BST, broadcast times subject to change

Volta a Catalunya 2025 start list

This will automatically update as teams get confirmed

Volta a Catalunya previous winners

2024: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates)
2023: Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)
2022: Sergio Higuita (Bora-Hansgrohe)
2021: Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers)
2020: No race
2019: Miguel Ángel López (Astana)
2018: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
2017: Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
2016: Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
2015: Richie Porte (Team Sky)
2014: Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha)
2013: Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp)
2012: Michael Albasini (GreenEDGE)
2011: Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD)
2010: Joaquim Rodríguez (Team Katusha)

First winner: Sebastià Masdeu (1911)
Most wins: Mariano Cañardo (7)

Wins per country: Spain (60), France (11), Italy (10), Colombia (5), Belgium (3), Ireland (3), Switzerland (2), Slovenia (2), United Kingdom (2), Australia (1), Luxembourg (1), Netherlands (1), Russia (1), Ukraine (1).

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