Our team is one of the most successful in the World Tour since the start of the season.
Remco Evenepoel sealed the overall victory at the Volta ao Algarve, becoming the first rider in four decades with three wins at the most important Portuguese race of the calendar and confirming his flying start to the season. The Belgian Champion, who triumphed here also at the 2020 and 2022 editions, racked up his 12th victory in a stage race and showed that he is on the right track for his first big rendez-vous of the year, next month’s Paris-Nice.
“I’m very happy with my win! I felt good today, I had a great team around me, strong legs, and I’m delighted I could bring it home. It means a lot to have such a great start to the season, with three victories in the space of a week”, said immediately after the race Remco, who before starting in Algarve soloed to a crushing win at the Figueira Champions Classic.
The final stage of the 50th edition was a lively and nervous one, due to the numerous attacks that came in the first hour, which made the pace really relentless. Evenepoel began the stage with the yellow jersey on his shoulders, following Saturday’s success in the individual time trial, and despite the fact that he and his Soudal Quick-Step teammates were put under pressure by a large 20-man breakaway, they didn’t panic and handled the situation with a lot of calm and confidence.
Our squad sent Mattia Cattaneo in the front group to keep an eye on things, while controlling the gap of the escapees. After a period of relative peace, more attacks followed the first time up the steep Malhão, where James Knox took over the reins in the bunch to make sure none of these would become a threat. Having dropped back from the break, Cattaneo too gave a hand on the descent, before Mikel Landa moved into the slot at the bottom of the final climb. The Basque whittled down the peloton to just a handful of riders, and from that small group Remco finished second after a powerful kick in the last 300 meters.
“It was a good week for us and we can be content with how things went. I’m proud of the guys, because they remained calm at all times and showed how strong we are mentally. We never panicked, regardless of the situation, and knew how to handle all things”, added Remco after the team’s seventh success of the season. “To have three overall victories here it’s nice and I hope to come back here one day and try to go for a fourth win.”
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
