VOLTA CATALUNYA 2021 STAGE 2 RESULTS – ALMEIDA TAKES LEAD AHEAD OF MCNULTY

Two-time former world champion Rohan Dennis powered to victory for Ineos in a challenging 18.5km individual time trial on stage two of the Volta Catalunya on Tuesday. Australian Dennis completed the course in 22 minutes and 27 seconds, while his teammates and title contenders Richie Porte and Adam Yates also posted solid performances. Remi Cavagna of France was second the emerging Portuguese star Joao Almeida came third and took the overall lead in the seven day race. Almeida of Deceuninck Quick-Step wore the Giro d’Italia’s pink jersey for 15 days in a stunning breakout last year, and this performance comes as no surprise.

The win was a first for Dennis since joining Ineos in 2020, although his work in the Giro helped the British team win the title with Tao Geoghegan Hart.

“It means a lot,” said Dennis, who lived in the Girona region before his switch.

“It’s my first victory with Ineos Grenadiers and my first victory since Yorkshire Worlds,” said Dennis of his second world championships win in 2019.

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome finished almost three minutes off the pace as his struggle for top form continues in his new Israel Start Up Nation colors.

One of the top paid riders in the world Froome also lost eight minutes on the first stage.

RESULTS

1	DENNIS Rohan	INEOS Grenadiers	22:27
2	CAVAGNA Rémi	Deceuninck – Quick Step	0:05
3	ALMEIDA João	Deceuninck – Quick Step	0:28
4	MCNULTY Brandon	UAE-Team Emirates	0:29
5	KRUIJSWIJK Steven	Team Jumbo-Visma	0:33
6	PORTE Richie	INEOS Grenadiers	0:35
7	YATES Adam	INEOS Grenadiers	0:35
8	CERNY Josef	Deceuninck – Quick Step	0:38
9	DE BOD Stefan	Astana – Premier Tech	0:39
10	THOMAS Geraint	INEOS Grenadiers	0:47

OVERALL STANDINGS

1	ALMEIDA Joao	Deceuninck – Quick Step	4:43:26
2	MCNULTY Brandon	UAE-Team Emirates	0:01
3	SANCHEZ Luis León	Astana – Premier Tech	0:03
4	KRUIJSWIJK Steven	Team Jumbo-Visma	0:05
5	YATES Adam	INEOS Grenadiers	0:07
6	PORTE Richie	INEOS Grenadiers	0:07
7	DE BOD Stefan	Astana – Premier Tech	0:11
8	THOMAS Geraint	INEOS Grenadiers	0:19
9	MASNADA Fausto	Deceuninck – Quick Step	0:21
10	KÄMNA Lennard	BORA – hansgrohe	0:22