Volta a Catalunya: Schultz outwits Pogacar in Stage 1

Nick Schultz wins the first stage of the Volta a Catalunya with start and finish in Sant Feliu de Guíxols (173.9 km).

A five-man breakaway was caught just before the attack on the Alt de Sant Grau, a climb too easy to allow for a large selection: in fact, almost a hundred riders remained in the group.

Nick Scultz tries to pull off a coup by anticipating the final sprint one kilometre from the finish line, Pogacar responds by accelerating at 300 metres, but it is not enough: the Israel Premier Tech rider triumphs by just a few centimetres right ahead of the Slovenian and his teammate Williams .

In the final, Bernal was involved in a crash, his time was neutralized, but we will have to wait until tomorrow to see if the Colombian will suffer any consequences.

ORDER OF ARRIVAL:

1 SCHULTZ Nick Israel-Premier Tech 04:11:38

2 POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates + 00

3 WILLIAMS Stephen Israel-Premier Tech + 00

4 GODON Dorian Decathlon AG2R The World Team + 02

5 LAURANCE Axel Alpecin-Deceuninck + 02

6 ROCHAS Rémy Groupama-FDJ + 02

7 VAN WILDER Ilan Soudal Quick-Step + 02

8 VLASOV Aleksandr BORA-hansgrohe + 02

9 KUSS Sepp Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 02

10 TEJADA Harold Astana Qazaqstan Team + 02

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency