excerpts from Volta aka Algarve
Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep) is the first owner of the Yellow Jersey Liberty Seguros of the 41st Tour of the Algarve, thanks to the victory in the bunch sprint, at the end of the first stage, a 166.7 kilometer journey from Lagos to Albufeira.
The Belgian sprinter concluded the best way the work done by Etixx-QuickStep team along the stage, repeating the success it had reached in the same place, at the start of Tour of the Algarve 2012. British Ben Swift (Sky) was second and the german Paul Martens (Lotto NL-Jumbo) closed the podium of the day.
“I love the finish in Albufeira. I already won here the first stage of the Tour of the Algarve in 2012. It’s great to win again, this was my main goal in the race. During the stage the team protected me a lot and gave me a lot of confidence. Now let’s try to win the general classification with Michal Kwiatkowski or Tony Martin. The yellow jersey is to keep the team. My main goals in the season are all WorldTour races” , Meersman said before the podium.
The stage was animated by Mario González (ActiveJet), Joni Brandao (Efapel), João Benta (Louletano-Ray Just Energy) and Samuel Magalhães (Radio Popular-Boavista), who started a break shortly after the start, an initiative that was just canceled due to the work of Etixx-QuickStep and Lotto Soudal, about 15 kilometers from the finish.
Gianni Meersman sums the Yellow Green jersey Turismo do Algarve, with the green leadership symbol for points. The White Jersey Cyclin’Portugal, for the best young, belongs to the Italian Davide Formolo (Cannondale-Garmin). Filipe Cardoso (Efapel) is the best Portuguese after the first stage, having risen to the podium to wear the Orange jersey AMAL. Etixx-QuickStep leads the team classification.
Tomorrow the second stage will connect the Lagoa to Monchique over 197.2 kilometers. The end carousel, in the hills of Monchique, will certainly be the scene of attacks between the general classification candidates.
Etapa/Stage/Étape 1.º Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep), 4h13m53s 2.º Ben Swift (Sky), mt 3.º Paul Martens (Lotto NL-Jumbo), mt 4.º Roy Jans (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), mt 5.º Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-QuickStep), mt 6.º Raymond Kreder (Team Roompot), mt 7.º Jesús Herrada (Movistar),mt 8.º Ramunas Navardauskas (Cannondale-Garmin), mt 9.º Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep), mt 10.º Guillaume Boivin (Optum), mt
Geral/Overall/General 1.º Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep), 4h13m43s 2.º Ben Swift (Sky), a 4s 3.º Paul Martens (Lotto NL-Jumbo), a 6s 4.º Roy Jans (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), a 10s 5.º Zdenek Stybar (Etixx-QuickStep), mt 6.º Raymond Kreder (Team Roompot), mt 7.º Jesús Herrada (Movistar),mt 8.º Ramunas Navardauskas (Cannondale-Garmin), mt 9.º Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep), mt 10.º Guillaume Boivin (Optum), mt
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