The women's stage race of the Volta a Catalunya is born
December 21 st 2023 - 11:00 [GMT + 1]
From June 7 to 9, and with the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya through Esportcat, the reVolta takes the leap to a stage race and will bring together some of the best cyclists in the world to become the Volta a Catalunya.
The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya Associació Esportiva continues to take firm steps in its commitment to women's cycling, and with the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya through Esportcat, from June 7 to 9, 2024 will organize the first edition of the Volta a Catalunya in its women's version, a three-day stage race that takes over from the reVolta, after four editions held as a one-day race.
The race evolves to three days and will have UCI 2.1 category, which allows the participation of up to seven UCI Women's World Tour teams -the best teams in the world-, in addition to UCI Women's Continental Teams -from the second category-, and national teams such as the Catalan Massi-Tactic.
In fact, several UCI Women's World Tour teams have already confirmed their willingness to participate in the race, which is already published in the UCI calendar for the 2024 season on the dates of June 7, 8 and 9.
The race will have three very varied stages with presence in much of the Catalan territory, and one of them will have a high finish. Placed in the calendar in an ideal place to make the assault on races like the Giro Donne or the Tour de France Femmes, the Volta a Catalunya can attract magnificent cyclists thanks to a diverse route with an important presence of mountains. The Minister of the Presidency, Laura Vilagrà Pons, has classified the upgrading of the Volta a Catalunya Femenina as "great news for Catalan cycling and for women's sport" and stressed that with the financial support of the Generalitat de Catalunya "we demonstrate with facts that this is the legislature of women's sport". According to Minister Vilagrà, the Volta a Catalunya Femenina "is a great opportunity to transmit to society the empowerment of women in women's cycling" and to take a step towards a sport "with more equal opportunities for everyone".
"We are taking a step forward with our women's race and we are very excited to become a three-stage race. We have found a magnificent response, both from the Government of the Generalitat through the General Secretariat of Sport and Physical Activity, as well as from the towns interested in starting and finishing the race and from the sponsors. I also want to emphasize that the race has aroused much interest among the teams, since only with the publication in the calendar 2024 many have already wanted to contact us to participate", said Rubèn Peris, president of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya A.E.
"Catalunya will also be a reference in women's cycling. Surely it will be a spectacle to see a great female rider with some of the best cyclists racing the Volta through our rich territory. We are still working on the route and the participation of the teams, but we are sure it will not leave anyone indifferent. We will enjoy great routes and teams and riders from all over the world. It is a pleasure to see the race grow, first as a runner and then from the organization's side," said Patrícia Ortega, the race's sports manager, and member of the organization's board of directors.
As in the men's race, the Secretaria General de l'Esport i de l' Activitat Física de la Generalitat de Catalunya will be the Grand Prix of the race, which will give image to the race leader's jersey, and with its support also guarantees the live television broadcasting of an event that after four editions as a one-day race, grows to three stages.
The start and finish towns of the race, as well as the final route, will be defined soon, although a high finish has already been confirmed and the organization has found a great response from towns willing to join this project.
The women's race of the Volta already has a remarkable track record while it has been held as a one-day race, with victories for renowned riders such as the British Claire Steels (Israel PT Roland, 2023), the German Clara Koppenburg (Cofidis, 2022), the Norwegian Katrine Aalerud (Movistar Team, 2021) or the American Lauren Stephens (Cylance ProCycling, 2018). In 2024, a new cyclist will open the list of winners of the first edition of the Volta a Catalunya.
Anna Caula, Secretary General of Sport and Physical Activity, Laura Rodríguez, cyclist, Estefanía Jiménez, cyclist, Laura Vilagrà, Councilor of the Presidency, Rubèn Peris, president of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya A.E., Patrícia Ortega, Sports manager, Marta Romance, cyclist, Aleix Villatoro, director of the Consell Català de l'Esport.