Roche, second from right, bags fifth on today’s stage
Nicolas Roche (Ag2r) today put in a good turn of speed in the lumpy finale of the first stage of the Volta ao Algarve, nicking fifth in the bunch gallop.
Irish riders Philip Deignan (UnitedHealthcare) and Ronan McLaughlin (An Post) also did well, finishing in the same time as the winner as the peloton fractured in the uphill finish.
That closing drag, followed by a final half kilometre that was pan flat and fast, resulted in a finale that was hard for the sprinters’ teams to control. Strong riders rather than pure sprinters emerged at the head of affairs.
Apart from Deignan, Roche and McLaughlin; the only other Irishman in the race is Connor McConvey (An Post). The Belfast man was caught towards the back of the peloton when the gaps started to open as the race screamed in towards the finish at Albufeira after 151km. He would eventually lose 1:31.
Advertisement
The race came down to a bunch sprint after a five-man breakaway was pulled back just inside 15kms remaining. As well as the drag up to the finish, a crash around 5kms from the finish also added to the splits in the bunch.
An Post’s Sam Bennett had been down to start the race but both he and team mate Mark McNally were forced to withdraw with flu.
Tomorrow takes the riders 187.5 kilometres from Faro to Lagoa over some undulating roads. The race continues until Sunday.
Related News
Stage 1
1 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol 4:02:17
2 Greg van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
3 Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank
4 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM
5 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2R-La Mondiale
6 Anthony Ravard (Fra) Ag2R-La Mondiale
65 Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly
66 Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) An Post-Sean Kelly
89 Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
128 Mark Christian (GBr) An Post-Sean Kelly all same time
131 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post-Sean Kelly 30 secs
133 Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly 48 secs
141 Connor McConvey (Irl) An Post-Sean Kelly 1:31
142 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly 1:41
157 Joren Segers (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly 12:51
General Classification
1 Gianni Meersman (Bel) Lotto Belisol 4:02:07
2 Greg van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team 0:00:04
3 Matti Breschel (Den) Rabobank 0:00:06
4 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM 0:00:10
5 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Ag2R-La Mondiale
6 Anthony Ravard (Fra) Ag2R-La Mondiale
64 Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly
65 Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) An Post-Sean Kelly
88 Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
127 Mark Christian (GBr) An Post-Sean Kelly
131 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) An Post-Sean Kelly 40 secs
133 Niels Wytinck (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly 58 secs
141 Connor McConvey (Irl) An Post-Sean Kelly 1:41
142 Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly 1:51
157 Joren Segers (Bel) An Post-Sean Kelly 13:01
