Volta ao Algarve: Meersman wins in Albufeira

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Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep) won the opening stage of the Volta ao Algarve. The Belgian edged Ben Swift (Team Sky) for his second win of the season after a victory in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in January. Paul Martens (LottoJumbo.nl) was third.

Meersman dons the first leader's jersey of the race for his efforts. It's the 10th win of the year for Etixx-Quickstep, following on the success of Niki Terpstra in Tour of Qatar, and Mark Cavendish in Dubai.

The race was led early on by four riders from Continental teams: Mario González (ActiveJet), Joni Brandão (Efapel), João Benta (Louletano-Ray Just Energy) and Samuel Magalhães (Rádio Popular-Boavista) escaped early in the 166.7km stage to Albufeira and gained nearly eight minutes before the sprinters' teams began to claw back their advantage.

Lotto Soudal and Etixx-Quickstep closed down the escape with just over 15km left to race. At first it appeared that Meersman had left it too late, and was a long way back coming into the final sprint, but he used the headwind to his advantage to bring home the victory for his team.

"I was 20th position or something, but I stayed calm because a lot of guys were going full gas into a headwind," Meersman said. "You can never hold that kind of effort for long into a headwind. So I moved up a little bit, and then at the top of the uphill part of the finish they slowed down a little bit. I accelerated at that point."

World champion Michal Kwiatkowski and Czech champion Zdenek Stybar ushered Meersman to the front, and the Belgian waited patiently until the right moment to hit out into the wind. "Even at 200 meters to go I was third position and I just went as hard as I could. I knew it was the right time. So I went and I got the win."

Meersman dedicated the victory to his family and to compatriot Claud Criquielion, the former world champion who died today of a stroke at age 58. "I didn't know him personally, but know he was a big champion and I dedicate this to Claude and his family as my condolences. It is a sad day for Belgian cycling," Meersman said.

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