Stage 6 Favorites – 2025 Tour of Catalonia | Scouting for potential winners in a bizarre, shortened stage
Cycling
The Tour of Catalonia is, just like in previous years, an incredibly exciting race. Juan Ayuso and Primoz Roglic are closely matched, and after Friday’s flat stage, they were surely looking forward to a thrilling uphill finish battle. However, strong winds have thrown a wrench in the plans, and this sixth stage has been almost completely stripped down. So, who should we now consider contenders? IDLProCycling.com takes a look at the favorites!
Course stage 6 Tour of Catalonia 2025
After a relatively easy stage on Friday, the riders should be well recovered. The breather was more than welcome, but under normal circumstances, Saturday would have brought some serious climbing. The opening phase is now the easiest part of the day: the Coll de la Batallola is long but not steep. Normally, the tough Coll de Pradell would have caused serious damage, but due to strong gusts of wind, it has been removed from the route. And that’s not the only change.
Initially, the Collada de Sant Isidre was also on the menu, but the organizers have ultimately decided to cut out all the major climbs. The Coll de la Batallola will now be tackled twice, and it’s the only ascent of the day. After the second time up, the route heads toward Berga, where, under normal conditions, the climb to Queralt would serve as the final uphill finish. Now, the finish is located in the town itself—where normally a bonus sprint would be placed, the finish line now sits on a gradually rising stretch of 2 kilometers at 4%.
Check below the finish on top of Queralt.
Times
Start: 12:40 PM (local time) | 7:40 AM (EST)
Finish: 5:00 PM (local time) | 12:00 PM (EST)
Weather stage 6 Tour of Catalonia 2025
It won’t be very cold or wet, but the wind is really causing problems for the peloton. The strong northwesterly wind has led to the shortening of the stage, and it could also create quite a bit of chaos along the way.
Favorites stage 6 Tour of Catalonia 2025
So, who should you now put down as a favorite in this short and unusual stage? We simply can’t ignore the two big rivals. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) won the first showdown, but Primoz Roglic (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) got his revenge a day later. It’s a thrilling battle between the two, and that will no doubt continue all the way to Queralt. So far, they’ve stood head and shoulders above the rest, and they’ll likely be in the mix for the sprint to the win.
Because of the unusual course, there are suddenly quite a few dark horses. Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto) felt after Thursday that he had much more in the tank and was visibly frustrated with himself. He’ll be eager to bounce back—especially after the failed echelon stage. He’s got a strong sprint too, which could be a real asset on this finish. But this type of stage also offers a great chance for riders like Richard Carapaz (EF Education–EasyPost) and Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) to shake things up.
Pure climbers like Sepp Kuss and Felix Gall suddenly seem out of the running for stage success. Now we’re looking at riders with decent climbing legs and a powerful kick at the end. Normally, we’d include Matthew Brennan here, but he won’t be starting. So instead, we turn our attention to Dorian Godon and Andrea Vendrame from Decathlon AG2R, as well as Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), Tibor del Grosso (Alpecin-Deceuninck), and Marijn van den Berg (EF Education–EasyPost).
Continue reading below the photo
Favorites stage 6 Tour of Catalonia 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com
Top favorites: Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates - XRG)
Outsiders: Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto), Enric Mas (Movistar), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) and Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step)
Long shots: Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike), Matthew Riccitello (Israel - Premier Tech), Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers), Simon Yates (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education - EasyPost)
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Latest Comments
- Such negative comments that are truly inappropriate and actually ridiculous. He sounds like an old man, bitter that he can't race anymore. Why can't he just be gracious? Or just shut up. Instead of howling for attention, in such a rude manner. Must be Dementia creeping in. We are all living in the Now. Records are there, and some are being broken, some are unapproachable. If he doesn't like it, and it makes him sick, maybe he ought start watching some other sport. Don't want the old mans health to be upset.
reemmo031-03-2025 - Roger De Vlaeminck inspires me to create a new beer: "Bitter Old Twat Belgian".JackInhof31-03-2025
- Shoot, I'll ride it for 1/10 of what his pay for that day is😅Veganpotter30-03-2025
- What is this? The Lance Armstrong daily cheaters channel? I could care less about Johan and Lance the seven times cheater. Greg Lemond was right all along, Why don't you write about that instead of these two knuckleheads.velodrone28-03-2025
- Are we all doomed to hear from Lance Armstrong and Johan bruneel until the end of time? It's not enough the stain they left on cycling? Do we have to see that shadow forever?bigyakman26-03-2025
- I am not sure if it is the hardest to win. In Flanders and Roubaix well before the finish the Peleton will be decimated and the race will normally be won by the best rider of the day or maybe 2nd or 3rd in case of a mechanical or unlucky break especially in case of Roubaix. In San Remo just before the finish there will still be several riders in contention and they are hard to ditch. For the best riders it is a race hard to win since it is not so selective. But if you are not a top 5 rider but still a top 10 rider this race is your best change to win. You will see more Milan San remo Winners with only 1 monument win than any other monumentsJoostmehrtens19-03-2025
- "fap fap fap oh Lance oh oh OHHHHHHH" again. Does he pay you to dredge up people with nice things to say about him? He was an giant a$$hole to people. It is a fact. Whatever his contrition about the doping, he is unapologetic about being a giant a$$hole to people. (Why yes, I do only login to complain. *I* am however only a giant a$$hole to people who laud giant a$$holes.)ericjensenridesbikes25-02-2025
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025