Dorian Godon has won the first stage of the 105th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2026 and has donned the first leader's jersey of the race after a day with start and finish in Sant Feliu de Guíxols. The Ineos Grenadiers rider resolved a very disputed finish in a sprint after 172.7 kilometers.
In the final straight, Godon overtook the Belgian Remco Evenepoel and the Briton Tom Pidcock, who completed the first three positions of the inaugural stage. The arrival was sentenced to the sprint on the Girona Road, after a last section that also passed through the Tossa de Mar road.
A controlled leak before the outcome
The day started with a peloton of 161 cyclists in Sant Feliu de Guíxols and with a route that included in its first half the ascents to Alt de Romanyà and Alt de Sant Hilari Sacalm. Several riders managed to open a gap in the early stages and the breakaway came to have a lead of close to four minutes.
The race, however, came under the control of the teams of the main favorites, who were reducing the gap with the passing of the kilometers. The work of the peloton ended up neutralizing the offensive adventure in the decisive part of the day. The last escaped rider was caught a few kilometers from the finish line, which left the resolution of the stage in the hands of the fastest men.
Sant Feliu de Guíxols opens the Volta
The 2026 edition of the Catalan round thus kicked off in the Girona regions, with an out-and-back route in Sant Feliu de Guíxols that once again placed the town as one of the recognizable points on the cycling calendar. The combination of climbs in the first part and a finish favorable to sprint candidates marked the development of the stage.
The Volta will continue this Tuesday with the second stage, which will unite Figueres and Banyoles over a route of 167.4 kilometers, already with Godon at the front of the general classification after striking first at the start of the race.