An attacking final stage of the Volta a Catalunya was a fitting finale for what was an unpredictable 2022 edition of the Spanish WorldTour race.
Bagioli was part of a group that made contact late with the elite climbers of the race, and he was able to position himself well in the downhill sprint, powering to the line to take out the win.
Sergio Higuita answered every challenge on the final day’s racing, winning the overall race from Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) and Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) after a tough final stage.
After 40 kilometres of skirmishing the break of the day was finally established. Steven Kruijswijk (Jumbo-Visma), Michael Storer, Sebastien Reichenbach, Quentin Pacher (all Groupama-FDJ), Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious), Antwan Tolhoek, Giulio Ciccone (both Trek-Segafredo), Louis Meintjes (Intermarche Wanty Gobert Materiaux), Henri Vandenabeele (Team DSM), Dries Devenyns (QuickStep Alpha Vinyl) and Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) made up the move, with most of the top teams represented.
They never got a big lead, topping out at a minute and 20 seconds, with the arrival to the Montjuic laps with a slim lead of just 50 seconds. The short, punchy climb of Montjuic was to be tackled six times by the field, with the stage showing in the past that the short climb encourages attacking riding.
Kruijswijk and Pacher attacked from the breakaway on the first ascent, but they were kept close by the peloton led by UAE Team Emirate, trying to put pressure on race leader Higuita. The climbs promoted plenty of aggression over the next few laps with attacks from the peloton, but none were able to bridge the gap to the front pair.
They were eventually caught with 13 kilometres left in the race, on the penultimate ascent of the Montjuic climb. That was the scene of Carapaz’s major assault on Higuita’s lead, the Olympic champions starting the day just 16 seconds behind his Colombian rival.
Carapaz launched off the back of a high pace, grinding his way up the 15 per cent pinches on the Montjuic climb, but it was matched by Higuita, with Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X) proving the strongest, cresting the climb first and setting off with a small group down the descent.
The race reformed into Barcelona proper, with Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) attacking on the descent and holding a slim lead into the last lap. He was recovered on the climb as the group again splintered under the pressure of Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), but ultimately not enough to distance the other climbers permanently.
Australian Ben O’Connor tried a last attack with 2.5 kilometres to go, but his move was neutralised and the race looked set for a fast downhill sprint. A group coming from behind rejoined the front of the race, including Bagioli, and the new riders flowed through to the front. Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) lead out an unconventional sprint, with Bagioli rounding the Frenchman and holding off Attila Valter (Groupama-FDJ) and Fernando Barcelo (Caja Rural-Seguros) to take the win.
Higuita took out the overall race win ahead of Carapaz and Almeida, his race win built on an audacious 130-kilometre attack with Carapaz on Stage 6 that will be remembered for a long time.
Ben O'Connor was the top Australian finisher on the stage and in the race overall, finishing sixth overall, a minute and eight seconds behind Higuita, after leading the race following his Stage 3 victory.
