Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Alessandro Petacchi was 3rd in the first, 160km stage of Volta ao Algarve on Wednesday. The bunch sprint looked inevitable as the gap to a breakaway was within 20" inside the final 20km.
Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) won the stage. Rui Costa was 2nd.
OPQS looks next to 196km stage 2 from Lagoa to Monchique. The GC contenders can draw first blood here, as the profile in the last part of the race is undulating. However, there's a 6km descent to the finish.
