Darren Rafferty (20) makes presence felt at Volta a Catalunya | Video

Darren Rafferty may be in his first season as a pro rider but the 20-year-old is making his presence felt at the hardest moments (Photo: Alessandro Perrone-SCA-Cor Vos)

Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) has put in a very solid shift on the opening stage of Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT) today; some 173.9km into Sant Feliu de Guíxols.

The 20-year-old neo pro was at the front of the peloton for a prolonged period in the finale, pulling into position his team's key general classification riders - including Esteban Chaves and Hugh Carthy - as the speed ramped up on the late climbs.

Rafferty was confidently holding his own at the front on the Alt de Sant Grau - a cat 2 of some 8.1km at four per cent - as the backdoor of the peloton opened to spit out many riders who could not live with the pace.

While the Irishman was at the head of the EF Education-EasyPost train he was going elbow-to-elbow on the front with Lidl Trek and UAE Team Emirates; the latter giving it a good rattle over the top of the climb and down the other side for its leader, Tadej Pogačar.

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Rafferty then settled into the reduced bunch, continuing to position his team leaders, as the stage neared the finish, with a small late climb before a kicker of a drag to the line.

And while a sprint from a small bunch looked on the cards, Israel Premier Tech had other ideas, with Stephen Williams letting a gap open to his team mate Nick Schultz with just over 1km to go.

Once Schultz had a gap he put his head down for the line and just about held off Pogačar. The Slovenian sprang from the remains of the peloton and came very close to passing Schultz on the line, though the late attacker held on by about a length.

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Williams took 3rd, with a two-armed victory salute to mark the rare mugging of Pogačar. The top three finished ahead of the first section of the peloton, numbering 60 riders, but were not awarded any time gap.

After his team work, Rafferty finished in 73rd, in the second half of the peloton at 59 seconds. His team had Chaves and Sean Quinn - in 18th and 50th - on the same time as the winner.

The seven-stage race continues tomorrow with a 186.5km stage from Mataró to the epic HC climb of Vallter 2000.

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