Racing from Portugal and Spain, riders with points to prove and a Beatles song.
Stage 1,Volta ao Algarve em BicicletaIa
If this stage were a song, I’d be singing in mop-top style : It was a hard day’s race and they working like a dog. Attacks aplenty all race long which tested the sprint trains mettle, but didn’t stop the fastmen having their fun at the end. In just a few powerful pedal strokes Fabio Jakobsen caught and passed Elia Viviani (Cofidis) to claim his second win of the season. Matteo (yes he’s at CCC now Midge, KEEP UP) Trentin rounded out the podium.
Full race report here
Will spectators please stop running across the road in front of a full bore sprint, it’s giving me conniptions.
Quicksteppers 9th victory of the year.
It takes an extremely powerful sprinter to make Vivz look like he is going backwards. Elia is always classy and I know Cofidis will get this right and those wins will come.
And he celebrated with an attack – of course.
Last minute instructions and music to get the heart racing. I am especially impressed with the effort to get those cycling shoes dazzling white.
Race Website VAlgarve2020 #VAlgarve2020
Stage 1,Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol
Gather close and listen to tale of a Basque and a Dane and the day they grabbed the race by the scruff of the neck and made it their own. Mikel Landa (Bahrain-McLaren) launched a race defining attack on the Cat 1 Puerto de las Palomas and was joined by defending champion Jakob Fuglsang (Astana). The duo cooperated well on the ascent and twisty descent to build just over a minute on their frankly disbelieving rivals behind them. On a Strade Bianche-esque finishing ramp through the cobbled streets of Grazalema, Fuglsang played it tactically smart and then powered away from Landa to take stage and the first jersey. He holds 6secs on Landa and 25secs to third placed Dylan Teuns (CCC).
Both riders had something to prove today.
After a largely anonymous year at Movistar in 2019 and less than a month after an accident while training, who doesn’t love to see Mikel Landa doing his thing?
Second place on the stage AND first Spaniard to cross the line
That shout of triumph from the Dane after all the off season rumours swirling around.
It’s not a bad way to start to racing calendar
Race Website @VCANDALUCIA #66rds
Header image: © Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images