Volta ao Algarve: Dani Martínez out-sprints Remco Evenepoel on Alto da Foia

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ALTODAFOIA PORTUGAL FEBRUARY 15 Daniel Felipe Martinez of Colombia and Team BORA hansgrohe sprints at finish line to win ahead of Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Team Soudal Quick Step during the 50th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2024 Stage 2 a 1719km stage from Lagoa to Alto da Foia 888m on February 15 2024 in Alto da Foia Portugal Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images — Volta ao Algarve: Daniel Martínez seems again at Remco Evenepoel because the Bora-Hansgrohe rider wins stage 2(Picture credit score: Dario Belingheri/Getty Pictures)

Dani Martínez (Bora-Hansgrohe) scored a uncommon victory over favorite Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) to take the lead of the Volta ao Algarve on stage 2 atop the Alto da Fóia.

Evenepoel was the primary to assault inside 300 metres to the road however Martínez was eager to the transfer and jumped straight onto his wheel earlier than powering previous to grab the victory.

Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) out-sprinted Martínez’s teammate Sergio Higuita for third, six seconds behind with Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek) following Jan Tratnik (Visma-Lease a Bike) throughout the road at eight seconds.

“We confronted some tough rivals however everybody did a implausible job,” Martínez stated. “Within the remaining, within the dash, I had good legs and I received it nicely.”

The 2023 champion of the Volta ao Algarve did not face Evenepoel final yr however is able to defend his lead over the subsequent three levels.

“I got here with the mentality of doing nicely once more this yr however the riders listed below are on good kind,” he stated. “As we speak was an vital stage. We bought via it nicely and so we’re prepared for the subsequent few days. Marco Haller, my teammate fell yesterday and Alex Hajek deserted however we’ll nonetheless work collectively 100%.”

The way it unfolded

With 171.9km on faucet and a end on the 7.4km Alto da Fóia, stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve was not a day for race chief and stage 1 winner Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty).

After a fast begin in Lagoa, a breakaway of seven emerged with a lead of three minutes. Within the group had been Max Walker (Astana Qazaqstan) and Martin Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility) with Continental riders Pedro Silva (ABTF Betão-Feirense), Rúben Simão (AP Motels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense), Aleksandr Grigorev (Efapel), Oliver Rees (Sabgal-Anicolor) and César Martingil (Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua).

The leaders stretched their benefit to just about 5 minutes earlier than Soudal-QuickStep and Intermarché-Wanty picked up the tempo to maintain them at a extra affordable distance.

Grigorev led the breakaway over the primary climb, the Alto da Choça after 77.7km and the leaders continued to dangle round 4 minutes forward of the peloton.

With 72km to go on a rolling part of the course, two riders from Uno-X, Andreas Lekneussund and Jonas Abrahamsen, attacked to bridge throughout to their teammate. It took them the higher a part of 13km however they made it earlier than the valley main into the triple climbing assault within the remaining 30km.

Riders confronted climbs at Alferce and a brief however steep climb at Pomba and a dash in Monchique earlier than the ultimate ascent.

Earlier than they may attain the primary of the climbs, Simão and Silva misplaced contact when the Uno-X trio started drilling it because the hole to the peloton fell to 2:30. Because the breakaway hit the primary climb, Silva and Martingil additionally needed to let go, leaving Walker, Lekneussund, Abrahamsen, Urianstad, Rees and Grigorev.

After burying himself for Leknessund and with the hole falling to 1 minute, Abrahamsen misplaced contact with the lead group, then Grigorev adopted, and later Rees.

With 17km to go on the Pomba, Leknessund launched his assault and left Walker and teammate Urianstad behind.

As he crested the Pomba with 13.7km to go, Leknessund had solely 2km of descending to carry off the Soudal-QuickStep prepare which had picked up the final of his former breakaway companions earlier than the Alto da Fóia.

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) set the tempo within the now much-reduced peloton, bringing the hole all the way down to 23 seconds as Leknessund picked up the time bonus in Monchique and headed up the ultimate climb, after which Soudal-QuickStep lastly ended the Norwegian’s distress with 6km to go.

James Knot and Mikel Landa led the best way into the ultimate two kilometres with Kuss in between them and Evenepoel.

Landa continued to cut back the lead group and, after they hit 300m to go, Evenepoel opened up his dash however Martínez was simply too quick and took the stage.