After much discussion, the bike was still ridden in the end. After the race organisers had initially only removed the highest mountain from the programme early in the morning, the route was later completely changed. It was supposed to be a circuit, but most of it was only ridden in neutralised conditions. The actual race was then 28 kilometres long. At least for all those competing for the day's victory.
The overall classification was already taken five kilometres before the stage finish in Berga, where the day also started. However, nothing had happened by then, which is why Juan Ayuso (UAE Emirates - XRG) is still the overall leader, one second ahead of Primoz Roglic (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe).
Simmons: "Craziest day of my career"
For Simmons (Lidl - Trek), on the other hand, it was about more. His team was one of the most active after the sharp start to the race and endeavoured to somehow make a success of the tour, which had not gone to plan so far. And so it was the 23-year-old who took heart at the start of the final climb for the last two kilometres of the short day. After the competition failed to react for a long time, the US rider was able to capitalise on his lead. Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) came very close to him in the final sprint, but was unable to overtake him. Two seconds behind him, Corbin Strong (Israel - Premier Tech) finished third.
For the winner, it was "probably the strangest day of my career", as he explained in the winner's interview. "First we were supposed to drive. Then we weren't supposed to race. Then we were supposed to do a shortened race. Then we were supposed to do two laps. In the end, we rode 25 kilometres," said the US champion from 2023, his fourth and last victory to date, describing the confusion surrounding the chaos on the track caused by gale-force winds in the Catalan highlands. "It's strange to be standing here now, because to be honest I was one of the riders who was in favour of not riding at all when we felt the wind. Now I have my first WorldTour win and that's very special."
Tour of Catalonia 2025 - Results of the 6th stage
Stage 6: Berga - Berga
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2025: Stage 6, Berga - Berga
| Rnk. | Riders | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lidl - Trek | 00:25:04 |
| 2 | Team Picnic PostNL | +00:00:00 |
| 3 | Team Jayco AlUla | +00:00:00 |
| 4 | Lotto | +00:00:00 |
| 5 | Israel - Premier Tech | +00:00:00 |
| 6 | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | +00:00:00 |
This is how the 6th stage of the Tour of Catalonia 2025 went
Instead of the supposed queen stage, the organisers ultimately put together a 146-kilometre route with almost 2,500 metres of elevation gain, which was run as a double circuit around the starting point of Berga, which had been planned from the outset.
The change of course came too late for two-time stage winner Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike). When a mountain stage was still expected, Visma had already cancelled his 19-year-old shooting star in order to protect him. The newly planned course might have suited the young Brit. But Brennan was not the only one not to start. Alongside three other pros, the slightly ailing Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) also had to withdraw.
But even the slimmed-down programme only got off to a slow start. After the first lap was initially supposed to be completely neutralised so that the jury could check the safety of the course, the plan was changed. Several established riders, including Roglic, Marc Soler (UAE Emirates - XRG) and Omar Fraile (Ineos Grenadiers), spoke to the jury car during the neutralisation.
Only 25 kilometres bike race
It was then decided that only the rest of the lap would be completed. Just 25 kilometres before the finish in Berga, the race began with a flying start. Frank van den Broek (Team Picnic PostNL), Carlos Verona (Lidl - Trek), Remy Rochas (Groupama - FDJ) and Diego Uriarte (Equipo Kern Pharma) immediately broke away from the peloton, in which Ineos did the chasing work. From the small group, Verona and van den Broek proved to be the strongest and put seconds between themselves and the rest. Eight kilometres before the finish, however, everyone was back together again, and all the decisive pros also reached the timekeeping together.
The battle for the stage win then flared up again on the last two ascending kilometres. Simmons attacked early on, to which the competition initially reacted. However, the gap he tore was ultimately enough for him to cross the finish line as the winner. Bittner managed to catch the American's rear wheel in an energetic sprint, but had to settle for second place.
