Volta ao Algarve: Castroviejo wins time trial in Sagres

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Primož Roglič (LottoNl-Jumbo) surged into the race lead at the Volta ao Algarve Friday with a strong performance in the stage 3 individual time trial. Movistar's Jonathan Castroviejo claimed the stage victory, knocking Katusha-Alpecin's Tony Martin out of the hot seat and then fending off the rest of the field to seal the win.

Roglič delivered the third best time of the afternoon, five seconds behind Castroviejo, overhauling Quick-Step Floors' Dan Martin for the race lead. Martin dropped all the way to sixth overall, with Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski now sitting second on GC and stage winner Castroviejo in third.

“It's so special for me to come back to this race, after everything that happened for me last season, and be a protagonist again," Castroviejo said. "As well yesterday as today I could be up there with the top guns, and claiming this victory is a marvellous feeling for me. I couldn't be more proud of what I achieved on this TT."

Early starter Ryan Mullen (Cannondale-Drapac) was the first rider to hold onto the provisional stage lead for a significant amount of time, clocking in at 21:59. Just under an hour later, Trek-Segafredo neo-pro Mads Pedersen set a mark six seconds faster than Mullen's, knocking the Irishman out of the hot seat.

Pedersen gave up the lead to FDJ's Arnaud Démare, who came across the line 17 seconds faster, but the French sprinter's surprise performance didn't hold the top spot for long as LottoNl-Jumbo's Lars Boom bested it by a single second.

Boom's time stood strong for nearly an hour until time trial world champion Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin) set a mark of 21:28, seven seconds faster. Unfortunately for the German, he would only spend 12 minutes in the hot seat before Castroviejo delivered his stage-winning performance.

The Spaniard got stronger over the course of his ride, putting in the third-fastest time at the first intermediate split but crossing the finish line with the day's best mark, four seconds faster than Martin's.

None of the eight starters that followed the Spaniard could best his time, though Kwiatkowski – fourth on the stage – and third-placed Roglič came closest.

Dan Martin, the final starter to hit the road, finished nearly a minute and a half down on Roglič, allowing the Slovenian to take control of the leader's jersey with Kwiatkowski lurking 22 seconds back and Castroviejo 36 seconds down.

The Volta ao Algarve continues Saturday with a 203.4km stage 4 from Almodôvar to Tavira.

"The GC might not be decided yet, I think," Castroviejo said. "Sunday's finish will see some fireworks for sure. Malhao is a short climb, one you take only eight minutes to complete, but I think it will create more gaps than Fóia. It's a very explosive one, and with the race finishing there, everyone will do their best and the bunch will split completely, even before the final ascent."

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