Volta ao Algarve: Stage 5
The 20-year-old Remco Evenepoel cycled to victory yesterday, beating the world time trial champion Rohan Dennis (Ineos) in a closing-day 20km race against the clock to secure the overall title at the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal.
But that’s not enough, for Evenepoel, who won the stage 2 in blistering fashion. The Deceuninck-Quick-Step star had to keep ahead of the direct competition. Dennis, who beat him in Yorkshire, shook his way and won his second stage race in two starts.
On average, Evenepoel took the two riders to the podium by 30 seconds and distanceled them from their two riders. He was the last rider to roll over the ramp as the overnight leader. Before finishing the clock at 24:07, he beat the intermediate checkpoints 10 seconds faster than the World Champion Dennis.
The victory secured the third GC triumph since last year’s pro victory and last month the addition of Algarve to the Tour of Belgium.
Before his grand tour debut at the Giro of Italia in May, Evenepoel is next in the Tirreno-Adriatico ahead of the Ardennes classics.
Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Miguel Ángel López (Astana) tied at 38 seconds back, and finished second and third overall. Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) started second overall but struggled to tumble to 11th overall.
Volta ao Algarve Stage 5, Lagao-Lagao, 20.3km
1. Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-Quick Step), 24:07
2. Rohan Dennis (Ineos), at 0:10
3. Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), at 0:19
4. Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), at 0:38
5. Miguel Ángel López (Astana), at same time
Final overall standings
1. Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-Quick Step), 19:23:42
2. Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), at 0:38
3. Miguel Ángel López (Astana), at 0:39
4. Rui Costa (UAE-Emirates), at 0:56
5. Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal), at 1:17
