On a day that ended, as expected, with a bunch sprint, the Tinkoff squad kept Alberto Contador out of trouble, allowing him to safely navigate his way in the main group. According to Sport Director Steven de Jongh, the team is motivated for tomorrow’s closing mountain stage of the race that finishes atop Alto de Malhão.
The 194km-long stage from São Brás de Alportel to Tavira held no surprises and finished with a fast bunch sprint. A four-man breakaway was formed in the initial kilometers, gaining a gap that peaked at 4 minutes. However, the sprinter teams took the matter into their hands, working hard to keep the race under control.
With just five kilometers to go, the last escapees were brought back in the peloton and the sprinters fought for victory in the fast finale. Contador’s teammates kept him safe until the finish line where he crossed in the main group.
“It was a long day and like I already said there was going to be a bunch sprint,” commented Sport Director Steven de Jongh. “There was a lot of control from Etixx-Quickstep for Marcel Kittel and Tony Martin and at the end it was Kittel that took the stage. Our guys worked well to keep Alberto in a safe position, and that was it.”
“Tomorrow is an interesting day because we have a top mountain finish and we’re motivated for this,” concluded de Jongh.
Alberto Contador confirmed his good sensations regarding his form: “The confidence I have in my form is increasing every day and I feel my shape gradually improving. It’s true I’m not very satisfied with my result in the second stage but I have been out of competition for so many months, so it was something that I knew could happen. We have to take each day as it comes and we will see what we can do tomorrow.”
Tomorrow, the battle for the final stage of the Volta ao Algarve will start in Almodôvar and end, after 169 km, at the top of Malhão, a second-category climb, 2.5km long with and an average gradient of 9.4%. At 45 km from the final, riders will pass for the first time at Malhão, before a hilly terrain that resembles the Spring Classics, with short but steep ascents. The final 2.5km, ascending to the top of Malhão are expected to be really exciting, with huge crowds and a fight among the GC contenders and the riders that will go for a stage win.
