Strong winds force major route change in first mountain stage of Catalunya

Strong winds forecast at the original finish location have forced the change, with gusts expected to reach up to 90 kilometres per hour. Citing rider safety, organisers confirmed on social media that the climb to the high altitude ski station will no longer feature in Thursday’s stage.

Instead, the stage will now finish in Camprodon, a town that was originally positioned earlier in the route. The revised course shortens the stage from 173 kilometres to approximately 150 kilometres and removes the decisive uphill finish that had been expected to provide the first major test for the general classification contenders.

The stage will still start in Mataró, although with a delayed start time (13:05 CET). Early climbs such as the Coll de Parpers and Alt de Sant Feliu de Codines remain on the route, but without the final ascent, the overall difficulty of the stage is considerably reduced.

The change will have a significant impact on the race dynamics, with the final 50 kilometres no longer featuring major climbing. What had been billed as a key mountain stage now looks far more open, potentially favouring a broader range of riders rather than pure climbers.

For Dorian Godon, it could mean a longer stay in the leader’s jersey, while second-placed Remco Evenepoel may not be entirely unhappy with the change given his injuries after today's crash, although it remains to be seen whether he will start tomorrow.