photo credits @ Volta ao Algarve
Daniel Martin (Quick-Step Floors) won the second stage of the Volta ao Algarve, between Lagoa and the Alto de Fóia, conquering for the first time the “camisola amarela”
The race was ruled on the last 9 kilometres, in the climb to the highest point of the Algarve. Team Katusha Alpecin set the pace on the approach, but it was Quick-Step Floors that truly hardened the race, in the hardest phase of the final climb.
Zdenek Stybar and Enric Mas buffeted what was left of the pack, leading team-mate Daniel Martin. Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Team Lotto NL-Jumbo) and Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) had to respond to the Irish’s accelerations. Roglic was able to follow Daniel Martin’s attack, but he refused to take his turn in a windy finale.
The fight for the stage would end up being a duel between Daniel Martin and Primoz Roglic, who took the mano a mano until the final line. Daniel Martin started at 200 meters and managed to beat the rival, who cut the finish with the same time. Michal Kwiatkowski reached Fóia in third place.
The Yellow Jersey of the Volta ao Algarve remained in the Quick-Step Floors team but changed from the body of Fernando Gaviria to Daniel Martin. The Irishman has now a 4-second advantage over Primoz Roglic and 26 seconds to the best over Michal Kwiatkowski.
If the first mountain approach in Algarve showed the supremacy of the top three, it also left good indications of two time trial specialists, European champion Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar Team), ninth overall, and Spanish compatriot Luis León Sánchez (Astana), seventh.
The Astana Pro Team is now at the top of the Teams Classification. Daniel Martin and Fernando Gaviria are tied for the points classification, awarded with the Red Jersey Cofidis. Daniel Martin is also the owner of Liberty Seguros Blue Jersey, for the best climber, and Belgian Tiesj Benoot (Lotto Soudal) in now the best young rider, with the white jersey Sicasal.
The favorites will have a new crucial moment on Friday, with 18 km time trial, starting and finishing at the Fortaleza de Sagres.
“We rode in front all day, everyone in the team believed in my possibilities. I’m happy for them. Roglic was quite strong in Valencia and i knew he would be a favorite for the overall classification. I attacked him because he did not want to collaborate with me but in the last kilometre I knew that my experience would be useful. I’ll do my best on the time trial.. Now I want to enjoy this victory.” – Daniel Martin
Top 10 Finishers
1 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 4:46:35 2 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:01 3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:21 4 Amaro Antunes (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:33 5 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Sporting / Tavira 0:00:33 6 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:35 7 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:35 8 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:36 9 Edgar Pinto (Por) LA / Metalusa Blackjack 0:00:36 10 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:46
General classification after stage 2
1 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 9:14:56 2 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:04 3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:26 4 Amaro Antunes (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:43 5 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Sporting / Tavira 7 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:45 8 Edgar Pinto (Por) LA / Metalusa Blackjack 9 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team 10 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:56
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