The Belgian came over the line in ninth position after the longest leg of this year's Volta ao Algarve.
Stage 1 of the Volta ao Algarve traveled over 192.6 kilometers from Albufeira to Lagos; a regular feature in the Portuguese race, Lagos was founded more than 4000 years ago and at one point was even one of the most important cities in Europe, a fusion of cultures and the place from which Prince Henry the Navigator directed the expeditions that were to rock the 15th century and change the shape of the world.
Five men – Luis Afonso (Vito Feirense), Nuno Almeida (LA Aluminios), David Livramento (Sporting Portugal), Joao Rodriguez (FC Porto) and Josu Zabala (Caja Rural) – were on the move from the gun and nudged out to 3:40 their advantage over the peloton, whose main goal was to see this rolling stage culminate in a bunch gallop.
The escape surrendered 15 kilometers from the finish, but shortly afterwards two riders – Tom Devriendt (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) and Jose Goncalves (Katusha) – opened a 17-second gap taking advantage of a crash that slowed down the peloton, but they eventually were swarmed with three kilometers to go by the rampaging pack.
Piloted by Czech Champion Zdenek Stybar, Yves Lampaert navigated on the ride side of the field and got in the mix in the hectic sprint won by Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) over Arnaud Demare (FDJ), taking ninth place in Lagos, Quick-Step Floors' third top 10 finish of the day, after the ones of Dries Devenyns and Niki Terpstra at the Tour of Oman.
Having placed three riders (Lampaert, Stybar and Bob Jungels) in the first 30 of the Volta ao Algarve opening day, Quick-Step Floors will go into the second stage of the race, Sagres – Alto da Foia, as leader of the team classification.
Photo credit: ©Sigfrid Eggers
