2011 Volta a Catalunya
The 91 cycling Tour of Catalonia ( officially: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya) took place from 21 to 27 March 2011. The stage race is part of the UCI World Tour 2011 and within this the fifth race. The total race distance was about 1200 kilometers.
The participants
Eligible were the 18 ProTeam and the five Professional Continental team Caja Rural, Andalucía Caja Granada and Geox -TMC from Spain and Cofidis, le Crédit en Ligne, Colombia there Pasión - Café de Colombia and CCC Polsat Polkowice who received a wild card by the organizer. Due to an injury last year's winner Joaquim Rodriguez can not start. Favorite to win was so that the three -time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador. As rivals for overall victory were Cadel Evans, who had previously won Tirreno- Adriatico, Denis Menshov Carlos Sastre and Geox -TMC and other Spaniards as Haimar Zubeldia, Xavier Tondo and Igor Antón classified. Chances for a placement, were also the Estonian Rein Taaramae of Cofidis, or Italian Michele Scarponi make. Most promising German Linus Gerdemann went into the race.
The stages
For the hundredth edition of the third oldest stage race in cycling is no need for a time trial. The tour begins with a hilly circuit in Lloret de Mar. Although the second stage comes up with a mountain in the first category, but the finale is flat. The King section of the " Volta " takes place on the third day, when five mountain stages including the final climb, the category of honor happens to be up to Andorra. The following three stages await with undulating to hilly profile before the Tour of Catalonia ends with a circular course in Barcelona.
List of stages
Stage 1, Lloret de Mar
Stage 2, Santa Coloma de Faners - Banyoles
Stage 3, La Vall d' en Bas - Andorra ( Vallnord )
Stage 4 La Seu d' Urgell - El Vendrell
Stage 5, El Vendrell - Tarragona
Stage 6, Tarragona - Mollet del Vallès
Stage 7, Parets del Vallès - Barcelona
Ratings in the itinerary
The table shows the leaders in their respective standings after each stage.
Full Time
Alberto Contador was his second tour win in 2011 following the Vuelta a Murcia. On the queen stage to Andorra, the green and white jersey of overall leader, he did not relinquish it secured. The other stages were decided by a large group sprint, Samuel Dumoulin here was successful with two bullets. José Joaquín Rojas also drove consistently out front stage ranks.