Volta a Catalunya (st. 6)

The eight climbs towards Montjuïc will define the overall result on Sunday - Colombian rider from Movistar Team still in 3rd place after homage stage to Xavi Tondo

Movistar Team went untroubled through another day in the 2013 Volta a Catalunya, with its sixth, penultimate stage -176km from Almacelles to Valls- covered at almost 45 kph average following two crazy opening hours of racing that did not allow any breaks. The attempt that would end up covering the second part of the stage together formed into the slopes of the Cat. 1 Alt de Prades: Spaniard José Herrada represented again the telephone squad, with Sylwester Szmyd also fighting to get in.

The eight-man group made by Herrada kept themselves away even after the climb that was predestined to decide the final outcome: the Alt de Lilla (Cat. 2), 14k from the end. The bunch stayed together and reached the escapees with five kilometers remaining, with Nairo Quintana well protected by his team-mates and avoiding any time gaps at the sprint in Valls, where Australian Simon Gerrans (OGE) succeeded.

Nairo will have an excellent chance tomorrow to homage Xavi Tondo, remembered today with the finish just next to the sports center named after him, and step onto the podium of a WorldTour race for the first time. To do so, he will have to conserve his third spot -45 seconds behind race leader Dan Martin (GRS); 28 after Joaquim Rodríguez (KAT) in second, and nine and ten over Wiggins (SKY) and Scarponi (LAM), respectively fourth and fifth- after the 122km between El Vendrell and the final circuit in Barcelona, with eight climbs through Montjuïc (Cat. 3; 2km / 5.7%).