Olympic champion Richard Carapaz, the current Giro d’Italia favourite, will be among the riders participating in the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour race.

The Ecuadorian rider is expected to lead the Ineos Grenadiers team at the week-long stage race, with Australia’s Richie Porte among his team-mates.

Porte finished as the runner-up last year as part of an Ineos Grenadiers podium clean sweep, with Adam Yates triumphing and fellow British rider Geraint Thomas finishing third.

Neither Yates nor Thomas will feature this year.

Carapaz, set to seek second Giro d’Italia title next month, will face competition from Britain’s Simon Yates, Adam's twin brother, and Portugal’s Joao Almeida.

Both riders are also expected to line-up at the first Grand Tour of the season.

The Netherlands’ Tom Dumoulin, Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, Canada’s Michael Woods and Colombia’s Nairo Quintana will also expect to feature towards the top of the Volta a Catalunya standings.

The race is due to begin with two flat stages, with the second ending at Perpignan in France on Tuesday (March 22).

Riders will return to Spain the following day with a mountain stage concluding in the La Molina ski resort, before another summit finish on the fourth day in Boí Taüll.

Stage five will feature a flat route from La Pobla de Segur to Vilanova i la Geltrú, before the penultimate day sees a mountain stage in Costa Daurada.

The race is then scheduled to conclude in Barcelona next Sunday (March 27) with a six-lap circuit around Montjuïc and Montjuïc Castle.