Racing
Marijn van den Berg wins stage four of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
Dutchman sprints to his first victory of 2024
March 21, 2024
Marijn van den Berg flew through the hectic final kilometer of stage four of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, waited for his moment, and launched his sprint.
He thrust his bike forward at the line. No one was going to deny the Dutchman his first win of 2024. Marijn was ahead by a bike length in the final photo.
After catching his breath, he waved and blew a kiss to the television camera. Today’s victory is his first big prize of 2024 and an award for the hard work and determination he showed this spring. Marijn was glad to reward the confidence that his teammates put in him from the moment the flag dropped in Sort all the way to the finish in Lleida.
“It was a really fast day and the plan was to race for me the whole day,” Marijn said. “The team rode on the front to control the break. I felt quite good the whole day and they kept me in front. At the end, it was kind of hectic with all of the roundabouts, but I knew the Brian Coquard was a really fast guy and tried to aim for his wheel. I kept on it until the finish and then came past in the last few hundred meters.”
That’s an understatement. Marijn absolutely rocketed up the final uphill drag. He is back in great form after a difficult spring.
“I made a big step this winter and it was going really well in the beginning, but then I crashed quite hard in Algarve and had a concussion and was out for a little bit,” Marijn said. “I started competing again last week in Milano-Torino and Milano-Sanremo and then I came here to focus on getting in shape and see how the outcome would be here in a stage like today. Now, I am back on track, I would say.”
You sure are, Marijn.
Tomorrow’s fifth stage out of Altafulla features two categorized climbs before a flat run into Viladecans. If he can get over the hills, Marijn could have the chance to sprint again.
Tune in!