Volta Algarve 2021 – Stage 1 [FULL STAGE]

May 5, 2021

Volta Algarve 2021 – Stage 1 – Lagos – Portimão : 189,5 km

The Volta ao Algarve is a five-day race that has, for the best part of the last decade, kicked off the stage-racing season in Europe. Usually the race takes place in late February , 2.Pro stage race that also offers riders a great opportunity to make their seasonal debuts. The race first took place in 1960, but after two editions it was axed from the calendar and didn’t return until 1977. It has been held every year since its return however and has slowly made its way up the UCI’s racing hierarchy in that time, going from a 2.3 event in 2003 to a 2.Pro event in 2020. In its early years, the race was dominated by Portuguese riders but since it opened its doors to pros from all over the globe in the 90s we’ve seen a number of different nations take a win.

Sam Bennett won the opening stage of Volta ao Algarve after a typically exemplary lead-out from his Deceuninck-QuickStep team.

Despite a messy, technical final few kilometres, where two splits briefly occurred at the front of the peloton, Deceuninck-QuickStep still ensured both Davide Ballerini and Michael Morkov were able to lead Bennett out in the final kilometre.

Danny Van Poppel (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) sealed second place, with Jon Aberasturi (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) managing third.

“I’m pretty happy,” said Bennett at the finish. “I didn’t know how good the legs were going to be coming into this race after a short break. I was on the limit today, but the team did an incredible job. Even when they came down in crashes, they adapted to the situation and were able to do a fantastic job.”

The crash occurred 5km from the finish, when Bennett’s teammates Shane Archbold and Fabio Jakobsen came down, in an incident that caused a group of around 16 riders to open up a small gap over the rest of the peloton.

The two groups came back together a kilometre later, only for another four riders, including three from W52/FC Porto, to gain a few bike lengths after a motorcycle got in the way attempting to overtake the peloton as it narrowed going round a roundabout 3km from the finish.

They too were brought back, however, and Deceuninck-QuickStep were able to regain control at the front of the race at the crucial time, with Ballerini (who had also crashed earlier in the stage) moving to the front of the peloton as they reached the final roundabout of the stage inside the final kilometre, with Morkov and Bennett behind him.

“I just had to stay alert and try and stay upright,” explained Bennett in regards to this tense finale. “I put my trust in my teammates when they came back in the last 2k. It was hard in the end, my legs were kinda spent, but I managed to pull it off.”

Despite winning the sprint comfortably ahead of Van Poppel, Bennett revealed that he actually didn’t feel very strong in the sprint, and felt as though he was lacking his best legs following a break from racing.

“I have a lot of work to do after the sensations I got today. But it was a boost of confidence as I could still finish the job off.”

How it unfolded

Having been postponed from its usual February slot due to the pandemic, the Volta ao Algarve got underway today with a flat opening stage expected to end in a bunch sprint.

This later date in the year meant warmer conditions, and the temperature neared thirty degrees with barely a cloud in the sky.

Five riders got into the day’s break, all of them from non-WorldTour teams. They were: Carlos Canal (Burgos-BH), Jon Irisarri (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Gustavo Cesar (Atum General-Tavira-Maria Nova Hotel), Hugo Nunes (Rádio Popular Boavista) and Nicolas Paredes (Louletano-Loule Concelho).

Five became four, however, when Paredes crashed only a few kilometres after the break had formed.

The peloton was happy to let them open up a gap, and the four remaining riders were free to contest the day’s intermediate sprints and sole categorised climb.

Irisarri and Nunes were the riders most interested in collecting these, with the former being first over the line on the climb and the first intermediate sprint, and the latter gaining maximum points over the latter two.

By the time Nunes won the sprint for the last intermediate sprint, there was just under 30km left to ride, and the peloton were less than one minute behind, with Bora-Hansgrohe and Deceuninck-QuickStep keeping them at a safe distance.

Everything was quiet and under control, although Deceuninck-QuickStep suffered a blow when Davide Ballerini was one of five riders to be held up in a crash 26km from the finish.

Another crash occurred shortly afterwards, this time involving about half a dozen riders. Thankfully all were able to continue.

The catch was made 19km from the finish, and shortly afterwards the sprinters teams started to mass at the front of the peloton, including Arkea-Samsic, Bora-Hansgrohe, Ineos Grenadiers and Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB.

The pace was high, but Peio Goikoetxea (Euskaltel Euskadi) attempted an attack 10km from the finish. He lasted a couple of kilometres, but the peloton was going too fast to allow him to survive any longer, with Ineos Grenadiers now at the front.

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA were leading the peloton when the first split occurred, and W52/FC Porto for the second, but inevitably it was Deceuninck-QuickStep who took over in the final kilometres to set Bennett up for the win.

Results :
1 Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:37:42
2 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:00:00
3 Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:00
4 Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:01
5 Iúri Leitão (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua 0:00:01
6 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:01
7 Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:01
8 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:01
9 Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:01
10 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:01
11 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:01
12 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:01
13 Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:01
14 Jesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos-BH 0:00:01
15 Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:01
16 Daniel Freitas (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista 0:00:02
17 Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:02
18 Elie Gesbert (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:02
19 Samuel Caldeira (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:02
20 João Rodrigues (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:03
21 Luís Fernandes (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista 0:00:03
22 Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:03
23 Ryan Gibbons (RSA) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:03
24 Nicolas Prodhomme (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:03
25 Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Efapel 0:00:04
26 Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:04
27 Luís Gomes (Por) Kelly-Simoldes-UDO 0:00:05
28 Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:00:05
29 Ivan Ramiro Sosa Cuervo (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:05
30 Alessandro Fedeli (Ita) Delko 0:00:05
31 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:05
32 César Fonte (Por) Kelly-Simoldes-UDO 0:00:06
33 Vicente Garcia De Mateos Rubio (Spa) Antarte-Feirense 0:00:06
34 Rafael Silva (Por) Antarte-Feirense 0:00:06
35 Gavin Mannion (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:06
36 Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:06
37 Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
38 Kévin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:06
39 Lennard Kämna (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:07
40 Alejandro Marque Porto (Spa) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:00:07
41 Amaro Antunes (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:07
42 Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:00:08
43 Anthony Jullien (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:08
44 Gonçalo Amado (Por) Antarte-Feirense 0:00:08
45 Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH 0:00:08
46 Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:08
47 Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:08
48 Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:09
49 Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
50 Daniel Mestre (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:09
51 Delio Fernandez Cruz (Spa) Delko 0:00:09
52 Jóni Brandão (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:09
53 Leangel Ruben Linarez Meneses (Ven) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua 0:00:10
54 Hugo Nunes (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista 0:00:10
55 Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:10
56 Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:10
57 Diego Lopez Fuentes (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:10
58 João Benta (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista 0:00:10
59 Maxime Bouet (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:00:10
60 Aritz Bagües Kalparsoro (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:10
61 Damien Touze (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:11
62 Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko 0:00:11
63 Davide Ballerini (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:11
64 Joaquim Silva (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua 0:00:11
65 Jose Manuel Diaz Gallego (Spa) Delko 0:00:11
66 César Martingil (Por) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:00:11
67 Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:11
68 Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Burgos-BH 0:00:12
69 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team 0:00:12
70 Aleksandr Grigorev (Rus) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:00:12
71 Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Burgos-BH 0:00:12
72 Gaspar Gonçalves (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua 0:00:12
73 Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:12
74 Leonardo Basso (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers 0:00:13
75 Rafael Lourenço (Por) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:00:14
76 Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:39
77 Joey Rosskopf (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:39
78 Emanuel Duarte (Por) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:00:40
79 Joan Bou Company (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:40
80 Sergio Roman Martin Galan (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:40
81 Fábio Oliveira (Por) Antarte-Feirense 0:00:41
82 Alberto Gallego Ruiz (Spa) Radio Popular-Boavista 0:00:41
83 Alvaro Trueba Diego (Spa) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:00:41
84 Cesar Nicolas Paredes Avellaneda (Col) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:00:41
85 Ivan Moreno Sanchez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma 0:00:42
86 Henrique Casimiro (Por) Kelly-Simoldes-UDO 0:00:42
87 Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:00:42
88 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:42
89 Nuno Meireles (Por) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:00:42
90 Colin Joyce (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:42
91 Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:42
92 Keegan Swirbul (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:43
93 Remy Mertz (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:43
94 Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:00:43
95 Clément Carisey (Fra) Delko 0:00:44
96 Hector Saez Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:44
97 José Fernandes (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:44
98 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:45
99 Bruno Silva (Por) Antarte-Feirense 0:00:45
100 Nathan Brown (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:51
101 Kyle Murphy (USA) Rally Cycling 0:00:51
102 David Gonzalez Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:00:51
103 Martin Laas (Est) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:57
104 Frederico Figueiredo (Por) Efapel 0:01:01
105 Ricardo Mestre (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:01:03
106 Cameron Wurf (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers 0:01:03
107 Rafael Reis (Por) Efapel 0:01:04
108 André Ramalho (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport 0:01:04
109 Brandon Rivera Vargas (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 0:01:06
110 Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rom) Delko 0:01:08
111 Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:20
112 Karel Hnik (Cze) Efapel 0:01:25
113 Venceslau Fernandes (Por) Antarte-Feirense 0:01:26
114 Marvin Scheulen (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport 0:01:35
115 Marcelo Salvador (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport 0:01:55
116 William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:02:23
117 Clément Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:02:23
118 Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:02:23
119 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko 0:02:23
120 Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel 0:02:23
121 Mikel Alonso Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:02:32
122 Tomas Contte (Arg) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:03:14
123 David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:03:39
124 Boy van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:03:59
125 Kenny Molly (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB 0:04:16
126 Gabriel Muller (Fra) Burgos-BH 0:04:17
127 Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:04:31
128 Dzmitry Zhyhunou (Blr) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:04:31
129 Tiago Antunes (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua 0:04:32
130 Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team 0:04:32
131 Pedro Paulinho (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua 0:04:32
132 Christophe Noppe (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic 0:04:32
133 Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:04:39
134 Jonas Koch (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux 0:04:39
135 Shane Archbold (NZl) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:04:56
136 Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:04:56
137 Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:05:53
138 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:05:53
139 Carlos Oyarzún (Chi) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:05:53
140 Jon Irisarri Ricon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA 0:05:53
141 Rui Rodrigues (Por) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:05:53
142 Alexys Brunel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:05:54
143 Jesus Del Pino Corrochano (Spa) Louletano-Loulé Concelho 0:08:56
144 Edwin Avila Vanegas (Col) Burgos-BH
145 Sérgio Paulinho (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport

General Classification after Stage 1 :
1 Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:37:41
2 Danny van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
3 Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
4 Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
5 Iúri Leitão (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua
6 Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep
7 Jarrad Drizners (Aus) Hagens Berman Axeon
8 Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates
9 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
10 Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
11 Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe
12 Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB
13 Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic
14 Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates
15 Jesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos-BH