Godon Wins Catalunya Stage 1, Evenepoel 2nd – Vingegaard Eyes GC Battle

Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Spain – Dorian Godon of Ineos Grenadiers edged out Remco Evenepoel in a thrilling uphill sprint to win the opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya on Monday, denying the Red Bull-Sofacycle rider a victory by mere centimeters. The Frenchman’s win marks his second in three race days, building momentum in his debut season with the team.

The explosive finale saw Tom Pidcock initiate the sprint early on the grinding uphill finish in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, with Evenepoel responding immediately. Still, Godon launched a late surge, overtaking Evenepoel in the final meters to claim the stage win.

“The last 800 meters were uphill, and that’s something that should normally suit me. I went for it, and it just wasn’t quite for me,” Evenepoel told Het Nieuwsblad after the stage. “That’s a shame, but it is a good start to the week,” he added.

Pidcock finished third, just behind Evenepoel, after a strong showing following his second-place finish at Milan-San Remo on Saturday.

Jonas Vingegaard, considered a pre-race favorite, finished safely within the main pack, demonstrating control over the final kilometers of the stage. The Dane led the bunch through a twisting, high-speed descent after the day’s breakaway was reeled in.

The Volta a Catalunya represents a crucial test for Evenepoel as he seeks to re-establish his Grand Tour credentials. His performance this week will be closely watched as he aims to prove his form following a disappointing outing at the UAE Tour last month, where he finished tenth overall and trailed race winner Isaac del Toro by 2 minutes and 25 seconds.

Evenepoel recently completed his first altitude camp of the season, hoping to regain the form that saw him achieve victories at the UAE Tour and the Tour of Poland in 2023 and 2020, respectively. “The UAE Tour wasn’t my best week. In Tenerife, I was able to reset a bit and perform for a good month. I was able to do everything on my schedule,” Evenepoel said on Sunday. “Now we wish to see the benefit. Given the course this week, I’ve focused mainly on longer blocks, since there are finishes involving more than half an hour of climbing.”

Evenepoel identified Vingegaard as the key rider to watch this week, acknowledging the Dane’s dominant performance at the recent Paris-Nice race. Vingegaard views the Volta a Catalunya as a final preparation for the Giro d’Italia, while Evenepoel is aiming to complete a three-year drought without a WorldTour stage-race victory. “I’ve reach close a few times, but it hasn’t really worked out yet,” Evenepoel stated.

The coming days will present significant challenges, with three consecutive summit finishes scheduled from Thursday through Saturday, offering a clear indication of whether Evenepoel’s training on Teide has yielded the desired results.