Volta a Catalunya 2024: Route, how to watch and everything you need to know

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Volta a Catalunya 2024: Route, how to watch and everything you need to know

First held in 1911, the prestigious Volta a Catalunya is the fourth oldest stage race on the calendar, even pre-dating the Vuelta a España. It slots between Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem for seven stages of typically mountainous terrain around Catalonia before the finish in Barcelona.

The 2023 Volta a Catalunya was won by Primož Roglič ahead of Remco Evenepoel and João Almeida. Roglič led from start to finish and also won two stages and the points jersey, while Evenepoel took two stages as well as the mountains and young riders’ jerseys.

It’s often used as a warm-up race for riders going to the Giro d’Italia and this year looks to be no different with Tadej Pogačar and Geraint Thomas set to line-up at the start in Sant Feliu de Guíxols alongside Sepp Kuss, Simon Yates, Tao Geoghegan Hart and more.

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Milan-San Remo 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know

Volta a Catalunya 2024: Key information

vallter 2000 climb — Vallter 2000 is just one of a selection of enormous climbs at this year’s race

Date: 18th-24th March 2024
Start: Sant Feliu de Guíxols
Finish: Barcelona
Stages: Seven
UK TV coverage: Eurosport, Discovery+

Volta a Catalunya 2024: The route

Catalonia is simultaneously one of the world’s most popular cycling destinations and an underrated race location. The 2024 Volta once again begins on the coast at Sant Feliu de Guíxols, just 30km from the cycling mecca of Girona, and the peloton will take in four climbs around that area before returning to finish.

Stages 1 and 2 are almost identical to the 2023 route, so the second day takes the race to the Pyrenees for a summit finish on Vallter 2000 before Stage 3 really rips the GC apart with three big climbs, finishing up Port Ainé.

There’s one climb right in the middle of Stage 4 before a flat finish in Lleida before a medium mountain day awaits on Stage 5. The penultimate stage is brutal, with five big climbs including the HC Coll de Pradell and a summit finish at Queralt.

Stage 7 is a hilly one to potentially (probably not with Pogačar present) keep things interesting right to the finish in Barcelona with the same finishing circuit cresting the climb to Montjuïc castle.

Volta a Catanlunya 2024 stage-by-stage preview

Stage 1: Monday 18th March, Sant Feliu de Guíxols – Sant Feliu de Guíxols, 174km

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.

Stage 2: Tuesday 19th March, Mataró – Setcases, 186.5km

Stage 2 is almost a rest as it head through Girona and Banyoles before hitting the mountains with the Coll de Coubet before finishing on Vallter 2000.

Stage 3: Wednesday 20th March, Sant Joan Abadesses – Port Ainé, 176.5km

The peloton then heads west through the Pyrenees via three enormous climbs and another summit finish.

Stage 4: Thursday 21st March, Sort – Lleida, 169km

Why would a sprinter want to go to this race? They’ve got to survive the Port d’Ager to keep the bunch together for the finish.

Stage 5: Friday 22nd March, Altafulla – Viladecans, 167.5km

This one looks certain to be a breakaway win, unless one of the favourites (said as if there was more than one) fancies attacking off the descent of the final climb.

Stage 6: Saturday 23rd March, Berga – Queralt, 154.5km

Just when you think a break is coming, Stage 6 packs in five climbs, including a Category 1 summit finish.

Stage 7: Sunday 24th March, Barcelona – Barcelona, 145.5km

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 for teams to get one final win from the race. Or for Tadej Pogačar to get stage win number five.

Volta a Catalunya 2024: How to watch

Milan-San Remo is being shown on Eurosport and Discovery+ in the UK.

Elsewhere in Europe, Eurosport will provide live images to 54 territories, with viewers in Denmark and Norway available to watch on TV2. It’s on RTVE in Spain and TVC in Catalonia.

Worldwide coverage extends to Eurosport Asia, Claro Sports in several Latin American territories, Supersport in Africa, SSC in the Middle East and North Africa, Caracol in Colombia, SBS in Australia, JSports in Japan, FloBikes in Canada and the United States, and Sky Sport in New Zealand.

If it’s not being shown in your country, you may be able to watch coverage using a VPN – Virtual Private Network – which allows users to mask their IP address and watch geo-blocked content, provided they don’t need to pay for a subscription. This is also helpful for watching paid-for coverage while travelling abroad in countries without access.

One such example is ExpressVPN, which is very well reviewed, has specific advice for watching cycling and costs £5.36 per month with three months free.

Other options include NordVPN, Surfshark and Kapersky.

Read more: How to watch cycling post-GCN+