2011 Volta a Catalunya
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Volta a Catalunya was the 91st running of the Volta a Catalunya cycling stage race. It started on 21 March in Lloret de Mar
and ended on 27 March in Barcelona
, and consisted on seven stages. It was the fifth race of the 2011 UCI World Tour
season.
The race was won by rider Alberto Contador
, who claimed the leader's white with green-striped jersey with a stage win on stage three, maintaining his advantage until the end of the race. Contador's winning margin over runner-up Michele Scarponi
was 23 seconds, and 's Daniel Martin
completed the podium, 35 seconds down on Contador. Martin made the podium at the expense of rider Levi Leipheimer
, who pulled out of the race before the final stage.
In the race's other classifications, 's Rubén Pérez
took home the white jersey for amassing the highest number of points during stages at intermediate sprints, rider Nairo Quintana won the King of the Mountains classification, with finishing at the head of the teams classification.
to Lloret de Mar
, 166.9 km (103.7 mi)
to Banyoles
, 169.3 km (105.2 mi)
to Vallnord
, 183.9 km (114.3 mi)
to El Vendrell
, 195 km (121.2 mi)
to Tarragona
, 213.5 km (132.7 mi)
to Mollet del Vallès
, 189.5 km (117.8 mi)
to Barcelona
, 124.5 km (77.4 mi)
Additionally, there was also a sprint classification, indicated with a white jersey. In the sprint classification, cyclists received points for being one of the first three in intermediate sprints, with three points awarded for first place, two for second, and one for third.
There was also a mountains classification
, indicated with a red jersey. In the mountains classifications, points were won by reaching the top of a mountain before other cyclists. All climbs were categorized, hors-, first, second, or third-category, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs.
Lloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar is a Mediterranean coastal town in Catalonia and one of the most popular holiday resorts on the Costa Brava. It is 40 kilometres from Girona and 75 kilometres from Barcelona and therefore easily accessible...
and ended on 27 March in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, and consisted on seven stages. It was the fifth race of the 2011 UCI World Tour
2011 UCI World Tour
The 2011 UCI World Tour was the third edition of the ranking system launched by the International Cycling Union in 2009. The series started with the Tour Down Under's opening stage on 18 January, and consisted of 14 stage races and 13 one-day races, culminating in the Giro di Lombardia on 15...
season.
The race was won by rider Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
, who claimed the leader's white with green-striped jersey with a stage win on stage three, maintaining his advantage until the end of the race. Contador's winning margin over runner-up Michele Scarponi
Michele Scarponi
Michele Scarponi is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .In 2006, Scarponi was implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case...
was 23 seconds, and 's Daniel Martin
Daniel Martin (cyclist)
Daniel Martin is an Irish racing cyclist who currently rides for .-Early Life:Born in Birmingham, Martin became British National Junior Road Race Champion in 2004, before deciding to ride for Ireland. His brother Tom will ride for the UC Aubenas squad in 2009...
completed the podium, 35 seconds down on Contador. Martin made the podium at the expense of rider Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
, who pulled out of the race before the final stage.
In the race's other classifications, 's Rubén Pérez
Rubén Pérez
Rubén Pérez Moreno is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team Euskaltel-Euskadi....
took home the white jersey for amassing the highest number of points during stages at intermediate sprints, rider Nairo Quintana won the King of the Mountains classification, with finishing at the head of the teams classification.
Teams competing
24 teams were invited to the 2011 Volta a Catalunya. The teams were:- Caja RuralCaja RuralCaja Rural is a professional continental cycling team based in Spain that participates in UCI Europe Tour races and UCI World Tour events when given a wildcard invitation. The team was founded in 2010.- Major results :2010...
- CCC Polsat PolkowiceCCC Polsat PolkowiceCCC Polsat Polkowice is a UCI Professional Continental cycling team based in Poland. Formerly CCC Mat, the team became known as CCC Polsat in 2002. In 2004 and 2005, the team was known as Hoop CCC-Polsat , reverting to CCC Polsat in 2006...
Stage 1
21 March 2011 – Lloret de MarLloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar is a Mediterranean coastal town in Catalonia and one of the most popular holiday resorts on the Costa Brava. It is 40 kilometres from Girona and 75 kilometres from Barcelona and therefore easily accessible...
to Lloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar
Lloret de Mar is a Mediterranean coastal town in Catalonia and one of the most popular holiday resorts on the Costa Brava. It is 40 kilometres from Girona and 75 kilometres from Barcelona and therefore easily accessible...
, 166.9 km (103.7 mi)
Stage 1 Result
|
General Classification after Stage 1
|
Stage 2
22 March 2011 – Santa Coloma de FarnersSanta Coloma de Farners
Santa Coloma de Farners is a spa town and capital of the comarca of the Selva, inCatalonia, Spain, and of the judicial district of Santa Coloma.It is situated on the edge of the Selva depression and of the Guilleries...
to Banyoles
Banyoles
Banyoles is a city of 17,309 inhabitants located in the province of Girona in northeastern Catalonia, Spain.The town is the capital of the Catalan comarca "Pla de l'Estany"...
, 169.3 km (105.2 mi)
Stage 2 Result
|
General Classification after Stage 2
|
Stage 3
23 March 2011 – La Vall d'en BasLa Vall d'en Bas
La Vall d'en Bas is a village and municipality in the province of Girona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain....
to Vallnord
Vallnord
Vallnord is a ski/snowboard resort in the Pyrenees mountains in the country of Andorra, close to the border with Spain at Tor, Pallars.It encompasses the linked sectors of Pal and Arinsal and the Ordino-Arcalis sector some kilometres away.All the separate sectors within Vallnord contain...
, 183.9 km (114.3 mi)
Stage 3 Result
|
General Classification after Stage 3
|
Stage 4
24 March 2011 – La Seu d'UrgellLa Seu d'Urgell
La Seu d'Urgell is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of Bishop of Urgell, one of the Andorra co-princes...
to El Vendrell
El Vendrell
El Vendrell is a town located in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, in a wine-growing region. It is wedged between the Mediterranean and the Litoral mountain ranges...
, 195 km (121.2 mi)
Stage 4 Result
|
General Classification after Stage 4
|
Stage 5
25 March 2011 – El VendrellEl Vendrell
El Vendrell is a town located in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, in a wine-growing region. It is wedged between the Mediterranean and the Litoral mountain ranges...
to Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, 213.5 km (132.7 mi)
Stage 5 Result
|
General Classification after Stage 5
|
Stage 6
26 March 2011 – TarragonaTarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
to Mollet del Vallès
Mollet del Vallès
Mollet del Vallès is a municipality in the comarca of the Vallès Oriental in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Besòs river, and is an important communications hub from Barcelona towards the north: the AP-7 Motorway passes through the municipality, as do the RENFE railway lines...
, 189.5 km (117.8 mi)
Stage 6 Result
|
General Classification after Stage 6
|
Stage 7
27 March 2011 – Parets del VallèsParets del Vallès
The town of Parets del Vallès is near Barcelona , in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the south-west of the comarca of Vallès Oriental, at 7 km from its capital Granollers. It covers an area of 8,98 km², and has about 16,000 inhabitants. From north to south, Parets is crossed by the...
to Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, 124.5 km (77.4 mi)
Stage 7 Result
|
Final General Classification
|
Classification leadership
In the 2011 Volta a Catalunya, three different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding the finishing times of the stages per cyclist, the leader received a white jersey with green stripes on the sleeves, midsection, and collar. This classification was considered the most important of the Volta a Catalunya, and the winner of the general classification was considered the winner of the Volta a Catalunya.Additionally, there was also a sprint classification, indicated with a white jersey. In the sprint classification, cyclists received points for being one of the first three in intermediate sprints, with three points awarded for first place, two for second, and one for third.
There was also a mountains classification
King of the Mountains
The King of the Mountains is the title given to the best climber in a cycling road race; usually and officially known as the Mountains classification...
, indicated with a red jersey. In the mountains classifications, points were won by reaching the top of a mountain before other cyclists. All climbs were categorized, hors-, first, second, or third-category, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs.
Stage | Winner | General Classification |
Mountains Classification |
Sprint Classification |
Team Classification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gatis Smukulis Gatis Smukulis Gatis Smukulis is a Latvian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .- Major achievements :20052006... |
Gatis Smukulis Gatis Smukulis Gatis Smukulis is a Latvian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .- Major achievements :20052006... |
Gatis Smukulis Gatis Smukulis Gatis Smukulis is a Latvian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .- Major achievements :20052006... |
Ben Gastauer Ben Gastauer Ben Gasteur is a professional Luxembourger road cyclist, currently riding for Ag2r-La Mondiale.-Palmarès:2005... |
|
2 | Alessandro Petacchi Alessandro Petacchi Alessandro Petacchi is an Italian professional road racing cyclist for .A specialist sprinter, Petacchi has won 51 grand tour stages with wins of the points jersey in the Giro d'Italia in 2004, the Vuelta a España in 2005 and the Tour de France in 2010.In 2007 Alessandro was banned from cycling... |
Julián Sánchez Julián Sánchez Julián Sánchez Pimienta is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. He competes for the UCI Professional Continental team Contentpolis-Ampo.- Palmarès :2006... |
Rubén Pérez Rubén Pérez Rubén Pérez Moreno is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team Euskaltel-Euskadi.... |
||
3 | Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... |
Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... |
Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... |
José Vicente Toribio | |
4 | Manuel Antonio Cardoso Manuel Antonio Cardoso Manuel Antonio Cardoso is a Portuguese professional road bicycle racer for . He made his Grand Tour debut in the 2010 Tour de France, but had to pull out after the Prologue due to injuries sustained in a crash.... |
Rubén Pérez Rubén Pérez Rubén Pérez Moreno is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team Euskaltel-Euskadi.... |
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5 | Samuel Dumoulin Samuel Dumoulin Samuel Dumoulin is a French professional road bicycle racer who rides for Cofidis.-Amateur career:Dumoulin rode as an amateur for the TCCT . He won the national youth championship in 1996, then the éspoir Paris–Tours and Paris-Auxerre in 2001. He turned professional in 2002 for Jean Delatour... |
Nairo Quintana | |||
6 | José Joaquín Rojas José Joaquín Rojas José Joaquín Rojas Gil is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam . He turned professional in 2006 with the Liberty Seguros-Würth team. His older brother Mariano was a professional cyclist as well, riding for ONCE until 1996... |
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7 | Samuel Dumoulin Samuel Dumoulin Samuel Dumoulin is a French professional road bicycle racer who rides for Cofidis.-Amateur career:Dumoulin rode as an amateur for the TCCT . He won the national youth championship in 1996, then the éspoir Paris–Tours and Paris-Auxerre in 2001. He turned professional in 2002 for Jean Delatour... |
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Final | Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro... |
Nairo Quintana | Rubén Pérez Rubén Pérez Rubén Pérez Moreno is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team Euskaltel-Euskadi.... |