05 - Volta Catalunya 2024

"It was a stage worthy of the Tour de France". On March 23, 2024, Tadej Pogacar won the queen stage of the Tour of Catalonia alone in Queralt. The Slovenian escaped with 30 kilometers to go, in the middle of the ascent of the Collada de Sant Isidre, and decided the general classification of the test. That day, in a day with 5 mountain passes, the dreaded Coll de Pradell was overcome for the first time in history in a professional race. The day was a resounding success for the public with many fans throughout the stage. The atmosphere, the toughness and the prestige of the winner led the director of La Volta, Rubèn Peris, to assure that that stage had been typical of the best race in the world, the Tour de France.

The memory of that day will be etched in the memory of generations of Berguedans, both cycling fans and those who simply wanted to enjoy a festive day. For those who pedal, no matter where they come from, recovering the hardness of this route and emulating Pogacar is feasible because it is a route within the reach of any cyclist who is minimally prepared. The roads have almost no traffic, offering a safe experience. And the five mountain passes, despite being of a truly special category, can be climbed at any time of the year. The only exception is Pradell since during some winter days it can be cut off by snow. Apart from that, the challenge of overcoming what is probably the hardest port in Catalonia, it is well worth fitting this outing into a favorable calendar.

Our day begins in Berga and ends in Queralt from where, with a rapid descent, we return to the starting point, making the route practically circular. We will encounter an almost progressive difficulty since the first port, Batallola, is considered 3rd category. The second, Cal Ros, is of 2a and then comes the monster, the Coll de Pradell, with different slopes to crown it. After the descent in the form of a loop to return to the starting point of Pradell, the round is completed with the Collada de Sant Isidre, of 1st category, and Queralt, also of 1st category. There are also several options to face the ascent to the legendary Sanctuary once you arrive in Berga. Despite the exhaustion, feeling Pogacar seeing the graffiti of encouragement on the asphalt of the last kilometers will give you enough strength to complete a true queen stage.