Dan Martin takes the stage win and overall lead at the Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta.
Having started the Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta as one of the favourites for stage and overall honours, Dan Martin now sits atop the standings and with a stage win in the bag.
The Irish international riding for QuickStep was simply too strong for the rest of the field on the stage 2 summits finish today.
He would pull clear with Primoz Roglic (LottoNl-Jumbo) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) on the final climb of the day after his team did some fantastic work leading into the climb.
And with Kwiatkowski unable to follow the pace of Martin and Roglic he dropped back with about 4km remaining as the head of the race neared the finish, with a flying Martin winning the two-sprint at the time of the climb to win.
Advertisement
Martin now leads overall by four seconds from Roglic, with Kwiatkowski 3rd some 21 seconds back.
With an 18km pan flat TT to come tomorrow, Martin is moving into terrain that will not favour him as much as it does some of the riders just behind him.
However, he said after his victory it was important that he win a stage, adding it would give him confidence for the rest of the race for the longer term goals ahead.
Related News
“We rode a perfect race, and that let me win the race today,” he said of his team, which was collecting its 12th victory of the season.
"I'll do my best, and we'll see the results,” he added of tomorrow’s TT during which he will wear the leader’s jersey.
“I've worked a lot on my position. Of course, there are other guys stronger than me, but I'm motivated."
“It was important to win a stage, it's good for the confidence in the next races. After winning yesterday the pressure was off, but it's always nice to win a race.”
Of the other Irish riders in the race, Philip Deignan (Team Sky) and Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac) finished 162nd and 172nd, both in a group 21:57 down at the end of the 189.3km stage from Lagoa to Alto da Fóia.
Stage 2: Lagoa - Monchique (189.3 km)
1 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 4:46:35
2 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:01
3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:21
4 Amaro Antunes (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:33
5 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Sporting / Tavira 0:00:33
6 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:35
7 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:35
8 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:36
9 Edgar Pinto (Por) LA / Metalusa Blackjack 0:00:36
10 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:46
General Classification
1 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 9:14:56
2 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:00:04
3 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:26
4 Amaro Antunes (Por) W52/FC Porto 0:00:43
5 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal
6 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) Sporting / Tavira
7 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:45
8 Edgar Pinto (Por) LA / Metalusa Blackjack
9 Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar Team
10 Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:56
