Favorites Stage 1 Tour of Catalonia 2025 | Alpecin-Deceuninck looks to keep winning momentum going

Just like in recent years, the race starts with a stage in and around Sant Feliu de Guíxols. In 2019 and 2022, Michael Matthews won the sprint from a reduced peloton here, while two years ago the victory went to Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian edged out Remco Evenepoel in a late sprint battle. Last season, Nick Schultz of Israel–Premier Tech just managed to hold off Tadej Pogacar. In previous years, both Roglic and Matthews have proven this stage suits their strengths.

From the start, we immediately begin a rolling phase, where it will be watchful for the danger of a strong breakaway group. After 120 kilometers we reach Sant Feliu de Guixols, where the last kilometer is up at about four percent, then for a first time. However, there is then another fifty kilometers on the program. Then we will trek back over rolling roads towards the start and finish place, where the final uphill kilometer has to be conquered after some earlier climbs.

Climbs
29.0 km: Coll de Begur (4.3 km at 4.1%)
63.0 km: Alto de Santa Pellaia (5.9 km at 3.9%)

Times
Start: 12:45 PM (local time) | 7:45 AM (EST)
Finish: 4:58 PM (local time) | 11:58 AM (EST)

Riders may have to deal with some rain on their backs this Monday. With a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius, it won’t be particularly warm in the northeast of Spain either.

The route for the first stage of the Tour of Catalonia is easier than last year’s, which plays into the hands of the (strong) sprinters. And quite a few of them have made the trip to Catalonia. At the top of the list is Kaden Groves of Alpecin-Deceuninck, who impressively finished fifth on Saturday in the Milan–San Remo edition won by his teammate Mathieu van der Poel. With riders like Tibor Del Grosso and Quinten Hermans, he also has a strong lead-out train.

Visma | Lease a Bike also brings a rider in top form: Matthew Brennan. The barely 19-year-old Brit just won the GP Denain in France on Thursday and now heads to Catalonia, where he’ll again test himself at the highest level. He can handle a small climb, which is a must for any sprinter in a race like this.

There are plenty more riders in that category still present. Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), Marijn van den Berg (EF Education–EasyPost), and Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R) are also contenders for the stage win, as are Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) and Pau Miquel from Equipo Kern Pharma. Picnic PostNL brings in-form Nils Eekhoff and Czech rider Pavel Bittner, while Israel–Premier Tech has two strong cards to play with Ethan Vernon and Corbin Strong.

And what about the GC contenders? Primoz Roglic (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) has won here before, and Juan Ayuso from UAE Emirates–XRG also has a solid sprint. But whether they’ll want to show their strength on day one—that remains the question.

Top favorites: Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), Marijn van den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost), Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R) and Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Long shots: Juan Ayuso (UAE Emirates-XRG), Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Nils Eekhoff, Pavel Bittner (Picnic PostNL), Ethan Vernon, Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech) and Pau Miquel (Equipo Kern Pharma)