The summit finish in La Molina was included on the Volta a Catalunya in the years 2014-2019. Miguel Ángel López (2019), Alejandro Valverde (2018, 2017), Daniel Martin (2016), Tejay van Garderen (2015) and Joaquim Rodríguez (2014) were victorious in the Pyrenees ski resort.
The La Molina climb is not the hardest climb in the world – far from it. The first part is 9 kilometres long and goes up at 6%. Following a passage in La Molina the route continues with a short drop and a 2 kilometres climb at 4% to the line. From base to finish the climb totals 12.1 kilometres and averages 4.3%.
The run-up to the finish climb is straightforward. The first half of the race takes the riders on a false flat to the foot of the first climb. The Mont-Louis is 8.4 kilometres long and averages 5.7%. The mountain was also included on the Andorra stage of last year’s Tour de France.
The riders cross the French-Spanish border around kilometre 100. They move through Puigcerdà and tackle the Collada des Toses. The ascent is 21.4 kilometres long and goes up at 3.2%. The route then descends to Alp, which is where the finish climb begins.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while intermediate sprints come with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX stage 3 Volta 2022.
Another interesting read: results 3rd stage 2022 Volta a Catalunya.
Volta a Catalunya 2022 stage 3: route, profile, more
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