The 43rd edition of the Volta Castelló, part of the UCI Nations Cup Junior, kicked off this Thursday with an inaugural stage that tested the participants. The peloton departed from the vicinity of Castalia Stadium to tackle a route featuring three categorized climbs: Alto de la Coma (3rd category), Alto de la Bandereta (2nd category), and the passage through Desert de les Palmes (2nd category), which significantly influenced the race's progression.
The initial kilometers were characterized by close monitoring among national teams, with a compact peloton maintaining a good pace and neutralizing early breakaway attempts. However, as the day progressed, tension mounted, and the first significant moves began to solidify. A group of escapees managed to gain a lead of up to a minute and a half, forcing the more active teams to take responsibility for the chase.
The passage through the main difficulties of the route caused a progressive selection in the peloton. The race fragmented into several groups, and offensive moves intensified, leaving a completely open scenario in the decisive stretch.
In this context, Norwegian Kristian Haugentun emerged as the leader in the mountain classification, accumulating the most points on the categorized climbs. The pivotal moment of the stage came in the final kilometers when Van Kerckhove launched a decisive attack, creating a gap from his rivals and maintaining his lead to the finish line, securing a solo victory after a physically demanding day.
The Spanish national team leads the overall team classification, while Van Kerckhove tops the points classification. Haugentun remains at the forefront of the mountain classification, and Belgian De Bois is the best young rider. The competition will continue this Friday with the second stage between Altura and Moncofa, a 94.3-kilometer route with a more favorable profile that could lead to a different race dynamic.
