Cort sprints to stage 2 victory at Volta a Catalunya, Godon holds lead
Banyoles, Spain – Magnus Cort Nielsen of Uno-X Mobility claimed victory on stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya on Tuesday, , sprinting to the finish line ahead of Noa Isidore (Decathlon-CMA CGM) and Francesco Busatto (Alpecin-Premier Tech). The 167.4km stage, running from Figueres to Banyoles, saw the peloton reel in a late breakaway attempt by Liam Slock (Lotto-Intermarché) just a kilometer from the finish.
The decisive sprint saw Cort launch his attack with 150 meters remaining, overtaking Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who had made a strong move with 350 meters to go. Isidore and Busatto were close behind, but Cort’s power proved too much, securing his 35th professional victory and his 13th in a Spanish race.
Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers), the stage 1 winner, finished fourth and retains the overall race lead, holding a 10-second advantage over Cort in the general classification. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) sits third, four seconds back, with Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) in fourth, six seconds behind Godon.
The stage unfolded with a familiar pattern, mirroring the opening day of the Volta a Catalunya. Shortly after the ceremonial start, a breakaway group of five riders formed, consisting of Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarché), Liam Slock (Lotto-Intermarché), Julen Arriola-Bengoa (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Diego Uriarte (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Samuel Fernández (Euskaltel-Euskadi). Lotto-Intermarché demonstrated early ambition, placing two riders in the move and forcing the peloton to chase.
Veistroffer, already the leader of the mountain classification, continued to add to his points tally at the intermediate sprints, further solidifying his position in that competition. The breakaway built a lead of up to three minutes, but the peloton, driven by teams including Ineos Grenadiers, EF Education-EasyPost, and UAE Team Emirates-XRG, steadily chipped away at the advantage.
As the race approached the final kilometers, the breakaway began to fracture. Slock and Veistroffer pushed on, leaving Uriarte behind, but the relentless pace of the peloton proved too strong. Slock was caught with just one kilometer remaining, setting the stage for a bunch sprint.
“It was a difficult stage,” Cort Nielsen said after the race. “Coming down from Olot, there was a lot of fighting for positions on the downhill. I wasn’t even sure I could fight for the sprint. On the descent I was really far back, but as soon as my teammates noticed, they came to receive me and brought me to the front. I don’t know how they succeeded, but they were able to take me from the last position in the group to the first. It was tremendous work and I’m really happy to have repaid them with a victory.”
Cort Nielsen emphasized the personal significance of the win, having previously lived in Girona. “In Catalunya, you have many similar stages to this, sprints from reduced groups. It suits me well, which is why I’ve wanted to come here for many years. Finally, I’m here and very excited to win. It’s a place I know very well. When I first turned pro, I was living here for many years. I still love coming here for training camps, and I’ve been on this road a million times on rest days. For me, it’s like winning at home.”
The victory marks a return to form for Cort Nielsen, who struggled with illness in 2025. He hadn’t secured a win since the fifth stage of O Gran Camiño in . The win in Banyoles is a testament to his resilience and the strength of his Uno-X Mobility team.
The Volta a Catalunya continues on Wednesday, , with a stage expected to further test the riders’ climbing abilities.