For the third time in a row, Team Katusha's Tiago Machado finished on the podium of the Portuguese national road championships. In Braga, in a sprint of ten riders, Machado finished third behind Rui Costa (Lampre-Merida) and Joni Brandão (Efapel).

"I really deserved the title after my attacks in the last laps but I am unlucky to have a poor sprint. It is not the first time this happens. Last year I finished 3rd, the year before 2nd. I can live with it. This is cycling. You just need to win, my day will come, I am sure about this.

"I really had good legs today. I liked the course with its 5 kilometer climb (6 percent) every lap. In the one to the last lap I attacked and just some ten riders were able to follow. It was the decisive moment of the race." said bronze medalist Tiago Machado.

Fully motivated Machado will head now to Utrecht tot start in his second Tour de France.