Our team was the only one to notch up multiple victories at the Portuguese race.
Everyone was expecting a difficult day in the saddle on the last stage (Loulé – Malhão, 179.2 km) of the Volta ao Algarve, but nobody was thinking of such a fast and challenging start, which saw the peloton cover 50 kilometers in the first hour of racing. Things calmed down only after 77 kilometers, when 21 riders broke clear, with Quick-Step Floors' Dries Devenyns part of that group which quickly stretched their gap to four minutes.
The escape began breaking down inside the final 30 kilometers and was eventually reeled in one kilometer into the Alto do Malhão. With around 1500 meters left, Amaro Antunes (FC Porto) attacked and powered to a solo victory. Dan Martin, Wednesday's winner, came 11th on the race's iconic climb and finished the race in sixth position, around one minute and a half behind overall victor Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo).
Besides the success scored atop Alto da Foia, Quick-Step Floors leave the Portuguese race with another win in the bag, that of Fernando Gaviria, who displayed his fast skills again, defeating some of the world's best sprinters in Lagos. From here, the Colombian will return to home to prepare for the National Championships, scheduled next week-end, in Bogota.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
