Favorites stage 7 Tour of Catalonia | Will Pogacar leave a chance for the other punchers?

The Tour of Catalonia ends with a final stage that is as traditional as the Tour de France's ride to the Champs-Élysées in many respects. The race always finishes on the streets of Barcelona after several local laps. A major difference: this local lap is much more grueling than its counterpart in Paris. On the route to the Catalan capital, riders first have to climb the Alt de Begues before a flat section leads to the Montjuïc, which is climbed six times. An iconic climb, a two-stage rocket, a place for various riders to make one last effort. In the past, the Montjuïc has guaranteed beautiful battles for stage wins and time differences in the classifications. Both in the Tour, the Vuelta, and the Tour of Catalonia. A magnificent climb, in short! After a final descent, the finish line lies in the inner city of Barcelona.

Climbs
36.0 km: Coll de la Creu de l'Ordal (7 km at 4.4%)
101.0 km: Alt de Montjuic (2.5 km at 4.8%)
109.0 km: Alt de Montjuic (2.5 km at 4.8%)
117.0 km: Alt de Montjuic (2.5 km a 4t.8%)
124.5 km: Alt de Montjuic (2.5 km a 4t.8%)
132.5 km: Alt de Montjuic (2.5 km at 4.8%)
140.5 km: Alt de Montjuic (2.5 km at 4.8%)  

Times
Start: 10:30 AM
Finish: approximately 2:00 PM

Spring takes a slight hit in the northeast of Spain on Sunday. However, temperatures remain pleasant at around fifteen degrees Celsius. It'll be grayer than the last few days, with a slight increase in the chance of precipitation. Wind is virtually nonexistent on Sunday along the Spanish coast!

How eager are the strong riders for one last brutal race? That's the key question heading into this stage, especially after the monstrous sixth stage on Saturday. The Montjuïc is selective enough to virtually count out the sprinters, like Arne Marit and Axel Laurance. So, who will remain for the selective course?

It's actually pretty lame, but Tadej Pogacar is simply the top favorite for Sunday. He finds a classic course tailored to him. The only question is whether the Slovenian himself is interested in a fourth stage win, and given he doesn't seem to be handing out any gifts this week, the answer to that question appears to be: yes. Who else can challenge him? Perhaps Stephen Williams and Andreas Kron, who both find a course suited to their liking.

Then we include a few fast men. Ethan Hayter could also play a role. Other riders who enjoy a punchy finale include Lenny Martinez, Michael Woods, Sergio Higuita, and Nick Schultz. The other GC contenders are also expected at the front. Mikel Landa and Egan Bernal are therefore shadow favorites for the stage win.

Look out for riders who have previously finished well in races like Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy: Aleksandr Vlasov, Enric Mas, and Guillaume Martin. And what can our Dutch rider Wout Poels achieve in the final stage? If the breakaways stand a chance, we think of Thomas De Gendt, but perhaps that's more wishful thinking than a realistic scenario given the field of participants.

Top favorite: Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates)
Outsiders: Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), Sergio Higuita (BORA-hansgrohe), Andreas Kron (Lotto-Dstny), Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech)
Long shots: Egan Bernal and Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers), Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step), Michael Woods and Nick Schultz (Israel-Premier Tech), Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-hansgrohe), Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious), Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Dstny)