Dortmund, 23. March 2010. Team MILRAM is still the big surprise at the Volta a Catalunya (March 22-28 / UCI ProTour). Opening stage winner Paul Voss defended his overall lead on the day after his triumph in northeastern Spain. Team MILRAM controlled the race all day and escorted the 23-year-old as 24th over the finish line in the mass sprint. MILRAM newcomer Dominik Nerz, only 20 years old, crossed the finish as 31st in the same time as his teammate Voss and continues in fourth place overall. The win in the mass sprint after 182.6 kilometers from Salt to Banyoles went to Briton Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) ahead of Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) and Aitor Galdos (Euskaltel-Euskadi).

“Our team rode super today and supported me wonderfully,“ rejoiced MILRAM’s Paul Vos at the finish. “We were forward the entire day, except the last 25 km. That was difficult but it was worth it. In the finale Dominik Nerz and Robert Förster brought me into position for the sprint. It was a slightly climbing finish, so it was important to be at the front, especially in case the field fell apart and one could lost important seconds. Tomorrow will be more challenging but we will try to defend the jersey again.“

After the start in the Spanish city Salt, about 100 kilometers north of Barcelona, the peloton around a happy leader Paul Voß took on the 182.6 km of the day. The first successful attack came early. Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) got away together with American Peter Stetina (Garmin-Transitions). The pair had a lead of over eight minutes, taking the only ranked climb of the day, the Alt Els Engels (Category One) together and stayed in the lead afterwards.

Behind them, Team MILRAM organized the chase work for the entire stage. After 161 km ahead of the peloton, the chasing field led by the German ProTour team, caught the escapees. Afterwards the sprinter teams took control of the field and with 25 km to go set things up for the mass sprint finish.

The stages:
22.03. 1. Stage: Lloret de Mar (3,6 Km/ITT)
23.03. 2. Stage: Salt – Banyoles (182,6 Km)
24.03. 3. Stage: La Vall d’en Bas – La Seu d’Urgell (185,9 Km)
25.03. 4. Stage: Oliana – Ascó (209,7 Km)
26.03. 5. Stage: Ascó – Cabacés (181,2 Km)
27.03. 6. Stage: El Vendrell – Barcelona (161,9 Km)
28.03. 7. Stage: EsportParc / Sant Cugat del Vallès – Circuit de Catalunya (117,8 Km)
Total distance: 1.042,7 km