Volta a Catalunya 2022: Carapaz wins spectacle race, Higuita new leader

foto: Cor VosRichard Crapaz and Sergio Higuita turn the Volta a Catalunya upside down in the 6th stage. The two attack early on and hold off the chasers. Richard Carapaz wins the stage, Sergio Higuita moves into the overall race lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 6th stage 2022 Volta a Catalunya

1. Richard Carapaz (ecu)
2. Sergio Higuita (col) s.t.
3. Kaden Groves (aus) + 0.48
4. Simone Velasco (ita) s.t.
5. Quentin Pacher (fra) s.t.
6. Jan Bakelants (bel) s.t.
7. Fernando Barceló (spa) s.t.
8. Damien Godon (fra) s.t.
9. Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (den) s.t.
10. Henri Vandenabeele (bel) s.t.

General Classification
1. Sergio Higuita (col)
2. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 0.16
3. João Almeida (por) + 0.52
4. Nairo Quintana (col) + 0.53
5. Juan Ayuso (spa) + 1.08
6. Wout Poels (nld) + 1.10
7. Ben O’Connor (aus) s.t.
8. Tobias Halland Johannessen (nor) + 1.13
9. Guillaume Martin (fra) + 1.16
10. Torstein Træen (nor) + 1.27

Race report
What’s left of the peloton – 132 riders – takes the start in rainy conditions. Steven Kruijswijk, Simon Petilli and Casper Pedersen open up a gap, but they are caught after a 15 kilometres chase. Then Rohan Dennis gives it a go. He is brought back after 30 kilometres of hard racing.

The race ignites on the first climb with a Nairo Quintana and Sergio Higuita attack, the number two and three on GC. Wout Poels, Ben O’Connor, Tobias Halland Johanessen, Guillaume Martin, Richard Carapaz, Carlos Rodriguez, Jai Hindley, Carlos Verona, Dylan Teuns, Mattias Jensen Skjelmose, Steven Kruijswijk, Javier Romo, Sebastían Henao, Jonathan Castroviejo, Michael Storer and Lucas Plapp are also on board.

Carapaz, Higuita and Plapp distance the others and are the first riders at the summit. They extend their lead to 1 minute, while the other attackers are accompanied by a chase group with GC leader Almeida.

Plapp is dropped by the Olympic Champion and the Champion of Colombia, who widen their lead to 3.30 minutes. Meanwhile, Carapaz wins the first intermediate sprint, so Higuita comes in second, while Ayuso takes the remaining second.

Ayuso attacks from the chase group in the descent of the last climb of the day. The second intermediate lies at the foot. Higuita crosses the line first, Carapaz second, while Ayuso is third, 1.20 minutes after the two.

The chase group comes back on Ayuso inside the last 12 kilometres.

The two attackers hold off the chasers with a comfortable margin before Carapaz outsprints his companion on the line. The Colombian is the new GC leader, while the Ecuadorian moves up to second and overnight leader Almeida drops down to third

Another interesting read: route 6th stage 2022 Volta a Catalunya.