Tejay van Garderen won a stage today in the Volta a Catalunya
In the cold Spanish snow, Tejay won a stage of the
2014 Volta Ciclista a Catalunya to Vallter 2000. Where is that you might ask? Well I was wondering the very same thing myself, as in, "Where the hell is that?". I discovered Vallter 2000 is a peak (that I am guessing not many people visit) on the border of Spain and France, well north of Barcelona. Barcelona is the city where the Volta a Catalunya will end this Sunday.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5aquPpBeHn9J-wo6ZJhXxigXo1fAfJDm7jXHiqYxSXk3JbQmu-RCTj4RuLR1wRniRN_PBJcwwF4ch_3juxDkRC7r9xHtTZtJxpMIDZVzNTX0AYKtPkCosaBVDbr7UGXd0CIZLt57fDNN/s1600/Location+of+Vallter+2000+climb+in+Spain.jpg) |
Location of Vallter 2000 climb in Spain |
Joaquin Rodriguez is
currently in the lead of this race by 4 seconds. The
route map has to be one of the most confusing I have ever seen, all I know is they ride all over Cataluyna (Catalonia,
Cataluña) in 7 days and 7 etapes.
Cataluyna has fantastic cycling. It's capital is Barcelona, it's provinces are Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. I last visited Spain in 2010, I wrote a bit about it:
I finally get Girona,
Cycling in Girona Spain,
I'm on Vacation in France/Spain! (a beautiful beach north of Girona).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHNdibSQMHVsb0tXf6cmwTE4gDS7SKQWDMqxM3PYUGYeTPWYezpxo7l6bgaK0ON4NNNK8ZMyKpggF9WduLhAttjVEBNOzaRNkmFlW-jvH8R5zObsnfKN91QAnQj0kFqcu7LPhyphenhyphenCsUbZQ7/s320/IMG_1080.JPG) |
My coffee break in Cataluyna. Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer® |
But today - Tejay won Stage 4!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbttAwVjYq4f93n1v2_ku66JQB0Kjl2qNGlN2FeTd25jmOarZH9QBl9MHK9zf2tN7MtYf_ZOWlRwb7k8qT3EsfUVdUxwnebIU8LVH6N19pu31pN_XjQwol4F4aFMLXZwAII2jBIUo39vvD/s1600/Tejay+van+Garderen.jpg) |
American Tejay van Garderen (BMC) Photo by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer® |
Today's race coverage showed fog, fog, and more fog, with occasional riders appearing through -fog. Vallter 2000 is one of those remote ski stations. When it isn't covered in snow, it looks like this.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvdzkHqAvWbQQBFcPA-kfFTrL1_r3R-QA2EHlEcKAyNL4ksrxNkQjX4V4YgEkU8PElULiTC5QrVyazza9_-oyZE6DlqQeL9PTfbjNiP1qQhwrkf7I3ecDAXNii6EbxH-Wpw2WvtKmlRSt/s1600/Vallter+2000.jpg) |
Vallter 2000 |
Which is a far cry from this, which is Barcelona
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEish7E6TO_NkoIHRlqepFj__ePLmd4sSDSZ3SNw8f7jexWjplXbajEvNioPvR-LrtPj4670jGCwHHW-uEIp7-GlLko1gtdu4SBzLIdcNcmUQbuuxekamO__XiMHM_aoU8PhpfgcElKdU4kW/s1600/Barcelona,+Spain.jpg) |
City of Barcelona, Spain, with the landmark Torre Agbar skyscraper |
Which is known for this
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit14LzRC98_mz0dY7ZIL511pu7fMALpNSfOvPqRIw0WArx2uJ3Sbknb0pI_7-dcksq_hshIxSyWzJy02LinRhgKHkHHoS-RFsalNHo34UiTMkrQkQAq-6OuAa3p_h3vi8VdPuPr_5QCwu5/s1600/Barcelona+architecture.jpg) |
Casa Batllo: architecture by Antoni Gaudi |
And this
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI7jrNbiJwOZWJA3SYaYaGIxKEVXIlDfTX_-J1RzuBMd91L71NlAdOSbeORMQX5vcL5BTL3k0w4UDRXL_JUmGCSm5CNTz4ugF8HTqXnjnRGbeLrVuTiFM9QSz1XrPkXcouzJfTqxE1K7F/s1600/Tapas.jpg) |
tapas |
And this
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB18MNBFgUQq1PfLrT9thw3sdpmURDgufR2LrnyNBiVlVXPdyz5aKZyB8P466d1uplOqMYkvC2kQ3toQKyqUvrTwgzoQNEw2jNZQan1OQSFjdO15Tt2oESjkij1UvSd124y_Z9P0TXJE6e/s1600/Paella.jpg) |
paella |
And come Sunday - it will be known as the place where one of these men won the 2014 Volta a Catalunya. Three more stages to go:
General Classification after Stage 4
ESP 1 RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquin (KATUSHA) 17:47:34
ESP 2 CONTADOR VELASCO, Alberto (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 4
USA 3 VAN GARDEREN, Tejay (BMC RACING) + 7
FRA 4 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 10
COL 5 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR)
GBR 6 FROOME, Christopher (SKY) + 17
USA 7 TALANSKY, Andrew (GARMIN SHARP) + 18
Ciclista a Catalunya 2014 - Stage 4 - FINAL KILOMETERS. it is foggy! (hi ha boira) and it is snowy! (està cobert de neu).