Fabio Jakobsen of Deceuninck Quick Step has
won the 45th Volta ao Algarve opening stage.
The main race in
Portugal, which is a World Tour event, started in Portimão with a 199km stage to
Lagos that featured two climbs and a day out for the sprinters.
Pedro
Paulinho (Efapel), David Ribeiro & Marvin Scheulen (LA Alumínios-LA Sport),
José Mendes (Sporting-Tavira) and Rafael Lourenço (UD Oliveirense/InOutBuild)
were in the break which formed after four kilometres of racing and sixteen
kilometres later, they had built a lead of 3.20.
Paulinho
was first over the category four Aldeia dos Matos climb with Ribeiro first over
the category three climb at Nave.
Mendes
took the sprint at Aljezur before the break changed and it was the 38 year old Sergio
Paulinho and Antonio Angulo, both of the Efapel team, who had a 2.06 lead with
44kms remaining.
Angulo
took the sprint points and the fifty euros on offer but with 22kms left, the
break was over and the peloton was back together.
With
seven kilometres to go, there was a massive crash with Team Sky having riders
caught up along with Trek Segafredo.
A
small group of around twenty rider were left with Ryan Mullen attacking with
three kilometres to go.
It came
down to a sprint and up came Fabio Jakobsen of Deceuninck Quick Step who took
the win in 4.52.29 from Arnaud Demare and Pascal Ackermann.
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