Sam Bennett races to victory in the opening stage of the role …

The first stage of the Algarve Tour was one for the runners. Very early on, only a few riders received a peloton blessing. It turned out that the lead was not enough in the last kilometers towards Portimao, because nineteen kilometers from the end, the last survivors of the early break were captured, so we could prepare for the sprint.

The last few kilometers have been chaotic and artistic, as the front of the peloton split briefly due to a crash with Fabio Jacobsen as one of the victims. Fortunately, the Dutchman was not injured.

David Ballerini succeeded in pulling the Peloton on a tape in the last kilometer, then his teammates had to lead Sam Bennett as far as possible to the last straight line.

Bennett was brought to the final sprint in a bench and then expertly managed to complete his teammates’ work. Irishman Danny Van Bebel (Intermarshi-Ante-Joubert Matero) and John Aberasturi (Kaga Rural-Segoros RGA) were left behind, who finished second and third respectively.

For Bennett, it was his sixth victory this season. He has previously won the Oxyclean Classic Brugge-De Panne, in two stages in Paris-Nice and two stages in the UAE Tour.

The second stage on Thursday, from Sagres to Alto da Foya (182.8) is the first date for the GC men to go for an all-out victory. Arrival again on the infamous Alto da Foia. Incidentally, this climb is not very steep with an average steepness of 5.8%, but we still have to take this climb seriously. In the past three years, the winner has always won this ascension.

hasty:

Sam Bennett (Irish)

2 Danny Van Bebel (Ned)

3 – John Abrastore (spa)

4 – Stanislav Aniolkovsky (Paul)

5 – Iori Littau (Burr)

6 – Michael Murkoff (Dunn)

7 – Grasshopper Dressers (Australia)

8. Rui Costa (Burr)

9. Ethan Hayter (UK)

10 – Mikel Ariste Gardocki (spa)