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Highlights and reactions from the first stage of the Volta a Portugal special edition.
Luís Gomes (Kelly-Simoldes-UDO) challenged the supremacy of W52-FC Porto on Monday, winning at the top of Santa Luzia, the end of the first stage of the Volta a Portugal by bicycle, on a day in which Joni Brandão showed signs of weakness.
“My team did an excellent job putting me in the lead at the beginning of the climb. I know I am a fast man and I ran to give everything I had to win. António Carvalho attacked from a distance and Daniel Mestre had to close the gap. I went to his wheel and I was saved for the final part. It was that little bit that made the difference “, recognized Gomes excitedly, who beat the dragons Daniel Mestre and Gustavo Veloso, who stayed with the yellow.
In a trip without time differences between the main candidates, who cut the goal with the time of 04: 24.41 hours, only the form of Joni Brandão (Efapel) left doubts, with the champion of the title, João Rodrigues (W52-FC Porto) , giving a show of force on the eve of Senhora da Graça.
The first online step of the special edition was also the first great moment of strict implementation of the health protocol related to covid-19, causing chaos in the arrival of the teams and even causing the delay in the start of the race in Montalegre, due to to the ritual to which the cyclists were subjected, forced to remove the mask in a suitable container and to disinfect their hands before lining up against the risk of going out.
In a Strange Tour for all, the longest section of this edition (180 kilometers) also started in an atypical way, with the break of the day consisting solely of Marvin Scheulen (LA Aluminum-LA Sport).
The 23-year-old, who jumped out of the peloton in the first races, was more than eight minutes ahead of the peloton, led placidly by W52-FC Porto, but, when passing Alto de Covide, the first account of year mountain, in the third category, the difference has already been reduced to four minutes.
Even before reaching Marvin Scheulen, 13 kilometers from the finish, another Portuguese took the momentary lead in the first lap: in the supply area, he fell, the always unfortunate Frederico Figueiredo (Atum General-Tavira-Maria Nova Hotel) got up. ). But he had to wait, sitting on the rails and arms crossed, for a new bike.
Annoyed, the Joaquim Agostinho trophy got upset with César Martingil, already when he rejoined the squad, and kept raising his arms repeatedly towards his car, in a clear sign of discontent with what, after cutting the goal, he defined as “Lack of experience from a colleague who is doing the first Tour of Portugal ”.
This would be the most striking episode before the start of the ascent to Santa Luzia, the moment chosen by João Rodrigues (W52-FC Porto) to appear at the head of the squad, when Rafael Lourenço started the strategy outlined by Kelly-Simoldes-UDO to take Luís Gomes to victory and Henrique Casimiro safe to the highest point of Viana do Castelo; only the first mission would be successful, with Alentejo giving up 32 seconds on goal.
“At the briefing we had decided that we were going to do the race for me and try to ensure that Henrique Casimiro did not waste time here. My teammates put me very well down there, I went ahead. I had to suffer a little because everything was very disorganized but I managed to stay there. As the kilometers of the climb went by, I felt good and when I saw the 250-meter sign, I tried my luck. I have a great time for this type of finals and thank God I managed win ”, described the 26-year-old cyclist.
To add his second professional victory, and the second in the Volta a Portugal after the victorious climb to Serra do Larouco last year, Gomes had to resist a forceful attack from António Carvalho, which left his leader Joni Brandão in trouble. Although the tie ended with the same time as the other candidates, the Efapel leader showed signs of weakness, sitting on the ground, exhausted, after cutting the goal, under the watchful eye of João Rodrigues.
On Tuesday, doubts will be cleared about the form of the favorites, in the 167 kilometers between Paredes and the mythical Senhora da Graça, which Veloso will start with a second advantage over Daniel Mestre and four over Daniel Freitas (Miranda -Mortágua).
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