Martijn Keizer jumped into the breakaway in the fourth stage of the Volta a Catalunya, which organisers slashed from 190 kilometres to 60 due to snow. The peloton shut down his move on the last climb of the day and cleared the way for a Nacer Bouhanni sprint win.

"It was a stage where the escapees might have a chance, so it was important to be there," said LottoNL-Jumbo's Keizer. Along with four others, he managed to escape in the beginning.

"It soon became clear that we were not racing for the stage win. The peloton kept us at three minutes and then you are at the peloton's mercy. We still tried to hold on, but the peloton got us.

"It is unfortunate and perhaps there was more in it if we would have raced the whole stage. I do not know whether sprinters' teams would've been able to control the entire 190 kilometers, but that's hindsight.

"The decision to shorten the stage was the right one. You have to make a decision at some point, so it's good that they decided on time."

Wet snow

Although the sun shined down the whole day, Sports Director Grischa Niermann felt happy with the decision to shorten the stage.

"At the start, it was snowing and there was ice on the bikes. You wonder if you want to send the riders through that weather. Eventually, the sun began to shine and the riders had good weather.

"I think a few years ago, the peloton would've raced the stage. It is good that they're now thinking about it before before the riders get out there."