It was a stage victory for Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) on the second day in the Volta a Catalunya while Maciej Paterski (CCC) defended his lead. Eduard Prades finished 7th, achieving a new top10 for Caja Rural, Lluis Mas was present in the escape of the day and got on the podium as leader of the sprints competition. David Arroyo, Sergio Pardilla and Ricardo Vilela defended their overall options.

Lluis Mas managed to join the day's break with Grmay (Lampre-Farnese Vini), Bewley (Orica-GreenEdge) and Stamsnijder (Giant-Alpecin). In the final section Mas tried to go solo but with no luck. Nonetheless, it was a good balance for Caja Rural with a top10 and a podium appearance. Furthermore, Edard Prades leads the best Catalan competition in the Volta a Catalunya.

"It rained right from the start," Mas said. "Luckily I was present in the escape of the day and gave visibility to the team, got on the podium and took my chance of victory but it was complicated as the peloton controlled us. On a rainy day, I am almost more comfortable in the break than in the bunch. In a WorldTour race, it is always nice to be repsent and the team should maintain a good level throughout the Volta."

The Spaniard tried to go solo in the finale but "it was difficult, almost desperate. If the peloton had given me more room, it may have been possible but it was foreseeable with such a hard finale.

For Mas, the balance is "good, but you always want to win and do not settle with what you have. Nonetheless, a breakaway, a podium and 7th place is not bad. Prades has shown that it is at a good level, but with people like Valverde, it is difficult to win. Arroyo and Pardilla are also good and can be ahead in GC."

Eduard Prades meanwhile finished in 7th place. "The feeling on the climbs was not the best, but in the end I was there, although the sprint was long because I had to come from far behind in the final kilometer. Still a top10 in a World Tour race is very positive for me and for the team,", he said.

"The teammates were fine, Mas was on the attack and took the sprints jersey which is important for the team.

"The rain has made a quiet stage extra dangerous and it was definitely not an ideal temperature."