The Movistar Team offered today one its usual top group performances in the Queen stage of the 2015 Volta ao Algarve - 218.3km between Tavira and the Alto do Malhao - with almost every of its members having a relevant role in a race that never missed the Blues up-front. Adriano Malori took sort of a drudge off after coming second yesterday in the Cabo Sao Vicente TT by less than one second, and spent almost two hundred kilometers into the day's early, seven-man breakaway. The group was caught in the flat between both passages of the infamous (2km above 10%), decisive climb, but the 30-man group led by Etixx had already seen one of his team-mates going across.
Jesús Herrada tried to destabilize the field and spent some kilometers together with the Italian, while Soler, Castroviejo, Rubén Fernández, Ion Izagirre and Dayer Quintana kept the pace behind. The Colombian also tried unsuccessfully to counter before the last climb, while the two Spaniards on GC duties saved energy for the end. Both reached the final kilometer in front, with Richie Porte (SKY)'s unstoppable rush awarding him the victory in front of Kwiatkowski (EQS) and Izagirre, 3rd at just six seconds. In turn, Fernández finished in 11th spot and keeps his top-ten GC position - 9th, 2'04" back - while Izagirre sits in 10th at 2'21". Castroviejo (17th), Soler (23rd, already 18th overall in his second pro stage race ever) and Quintana (26th) didn't finish far from the leaders, either.
Geraint Thomas (SKY) holds a comfortable, half-a-minute lead before a flat final stage from Almodovar to Vilamoura (185km), where things should stand as they ended on Saturday.
Rodney SANTIAGO 36 years | today |
Edward WALSH 28 years | today |
Ryoma WATANABE 23 years | today |
Kairat BAIGUDINOV 46 years | today |
Anthony SAUX 33 years | today |
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