Volta ao Algarve (st. 1)

Movistar Team keeps group intact -with Lobato in 10th place- at opening mass sprint in Algarve; Malhao, Friday TT set to be decisive

It was a day with no significant bad news for the Movistar Team in the start of the 40th Volta ao Algarve, back to its five-day format in 2014 as its opening 160 kilometers rolled gently from the region’s capital Faro to a complicated finish in Albufeira, where Lampre took the double with Sacha Modolo and Rui Costa.

The squad directed by Chente García Acosta, a group mainly consisting of great rouleurs such as Castroviejo, Dowsett, Jesús Herrada or the already victorious Adriano Malori, focused today’s effort on helping Juanjo Lobato out, the twisty finish avoiding the Andalusian getting past 10th place for the day. The rider from Cádiz, almost at home, will have another clear chance during the closing stage on Sunday.

Before the 13km ITT that will sort out the overall classification on Friday -plus the Alto do Malhao ascent, set to be the decided 24 hours later-, a lumpy stage, yet not ruling out some sprinters, will be held tomorrow in Monchique, where the riders will tackle a Cat-3, 4km, 8% average climb in the run into the finish of a route that will start at Lagoa (196km.)