2024 Volta ao Algarve

Remco Evenepoel Wins Third Tour Of The Algarve

Remco Evenepoel Wins Third Tour Of The Algarve

Remco Evenepoel won the Tour of the Algarve for the third time on Sunday after reeling in a threatening breakaway by Wout van Aert on Sunday's final stage.

Feb 18, 2024 by AFP Report
Remco Evenepoel Wins Third Tour Of The Algarve

Remco Evenepoel won the Tour of the Algarve for the third time on Sunday after reeling in a threatening breakaway by Wout van Aert on Sunday's final stage.

Daniel Martinez sprinted to victory on the final climb on the 165.8km stage from Faro to the Alto do Malhao but could not make up enough time to retake the lead from Evenepoel.

Sunday's fifth and final stage was marked by a series of attacks.

Van Aert was part of a three-rider breakaway that built a one-minute lead on the final climb.

Paced by his new Soudal Quick-step team-mate Mikel Landa, Evenepoel caught the leaders in the last three kilometres and launched his sprint for the line with 500m to go,

But he was overhauled by Martinez, a Colombian, who rides for Bora-Hansgrohe, who took his second stage win of the week.

Briton Tom Pidcock of Ineos was third.

"I really wanted to win this stage", said Evenepoel.

"But all in all, I can only be happy. I'm now going to take a little rest before Paris-Nice" in a fortnight's time.

Martinez had started Saturday's time trial in the lead but Evenepoel, the world champion in the discipline, using an enormous chain ring, with four more teeth than any of his rivals, powered to victory.

"A risk I accepted, even if I really suffered on the uphill sections", said Evenepoel.

Evenepoel won the Algarve race in 2020 and 2022 and last week gained the first victory of the season at the one-day Figueira Champions Classic, also in Portugal.