Volta ao Algarve: Paul Magnier doubles up with another sprint victory on stage 4

LAGOS, PORTUGAL - FEBRUARY 21: (L-R) Paul Magnier of France and Team Soudal Quick-Step celebrates at finish line as stage winner ahead of Jordi Meeus of Belgium and Team Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe during the 52nd Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2026, Stage 4 a 175.1km stage from Albufeira to Lagos on February 21, 2026 in Lagos, Portugal. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images) — Paul Magnier celebrates his second sprint victory of the race in Lagos (Image credit: Getty Images)

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How it unfolded
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Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) launched his sprint with 175 metres to go to take a commanding victory on stage 4 at the Volta ao Algarve.

The Frenchman bided his time, waiting for the perfect moment to launch his sprint up the centre of the road, and none could respond as he crossed the line by a bike length ahead of runner-up Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) and third-placed Oded Kogut (NSN Cycling Team).

The penultimate day of racing was always meant to be one for the sprinters. With Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) finishing safely in the bunch, he maintained his lead in the overall classification by 14 seconds ahead of Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) and 44 seconds ahead of João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).

Ayuso will wear the leader's jersey into the final day of racing from Faro to the summit of Malhão (Loulé) on Sunday.

"It was super good. I had a really strong feeling today, and the team did a good job of controlling the whole day. It was a bit hectic in the final because everyone was fresh and the team did a really good job, and I'm super happy to finish it off," Magnier said in a post-race interview.

"The last three kilometres were chaotic because the last 20km were quite easy with the smaller roads. In the end, I had a super good position in the final corner with two teammates in front of me still, so it was a super good day."

How it unfolded

LAGOS, PORTUGAL - FEBRUARY 21: A general view of the peloton competing during the 52nd Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2026, Stage 4 a 175.1km stage from Albufeira to Lagos on February 21, 2026 in Lagos, Portugal. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images) — The peloton riding along during stage 4 (Image credit: Getty Images)

The penultimate stage 4 at the Volta ao Algarve was 182.1km from Albufeira to Lagos, offering an opportunity for the sprinters in the peloton.

Nine riders formed an early breakaway, but they split apart over the mid-race ascent with 80km remaining as Rubén Fernández (Anicolor-Campicarn), Gonçalo Carvalho (Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua) and Victor Cesar de Paula (Feirense-Beeceler) gained a small lead on the others.

The six chasing riders included Noah Campos (Team Tavira-Crédito Agrícola), Fábio Costa and João Silva (both Feira dos Sofás-Boavista), Tomas Contte (Aviludo-Louletano-Loulé), defending his blue jersey as leader of the King of the Mountains, Hugo Nunes and Diogo Pinto (both Credibom-LA Alumínios-Marcos Car).

Magnier's Soudal-QuickStep team, Jasper Philipsen's Alpecin-Premier Tech, and Lidl-Trek, racing for overall leader Ayuso, set the tone by holding the gap to the breakaway at about 2:30 minutes over the climb at Nave and down into Alezur.

Although seven riders out front reunited as the race hit the final circuit with 35km to go, they were all reabsorbed into the main field. There were several late-race attacks, but the field remained intact as the peloton hit 25km to go.

LAGOS, PORTUGAL - FEBRUARY 21: Tomas Contte of Argentina and Team Aviludo - Louletano - Loule - Blue Mountain Jersey competes in the breakaway during the 52nd Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2026, Stage 4 a 175.1km stage from Albufeira to Lagos on February 21, 2026 in Lagos, Portugal. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images) — Tomas Contte leads the breakaway mid-stage (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ineos Grenadiers led the field for their overall contender, Kevin Vauquelin, UAE Team Emirates-XRG for Almeida, Decathlon CMS CGM for Seixas, and Lidl-Trek for Ayuso, all keeping their GC leaders safely near the front as the sprinter teams set up for a bunch sprint.

Colby Simmons (EF Education-EasyPost) crashed into the roadside ditch, causing small splits among the peloton, but as the race hit the finale 15km along a gradual uphill, the field regrouped and fanned wide across the road.

Another crash saw Johannes Staune-Mittet (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Harrison Wood (Feirense-Beeceler) go down after appearing to hit a pavement divot on the side of the road; however, neither team has released a medical update.

With only 4.5km to go, the peloton continued on in anticipation of the final downhill run-in to Lagos.

Ayuso, wearing the yellow jersey, moved to the front with just two kilometres to go, leading Lidl-Trek into the final with Tudor Pro Cycling taking over through the final roundabout.

It was Joshua Giddings (Lotto Intermarché) who was first through the last corner, but he was quickly overtaken by Jonathan Vervenne (Soudal-QuickStep) and Marco Haller (Tudor Pro Cycling).

Haller jumped off of Vervenne's wheel inside 500 metres to go with two EF Education-EasyPost on his wheel, both surprised by a faster Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl-Trek) who launched the sprint up the left side of the road. In the end, no one was faster than Magnier, who stormed up the centre of the road to take the victory.

LAGOS, PORTUGAL - FEBRUARY 21: Juan Ayuso of Spain and Team Lidl - Trek - Yellow Leader Jersey competes during the 52nd Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2026, Stage 4 a 175.1km stage from Albufeira to Lagos on February 21, 2026 in Lagos, Portugal. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images) — Juan Ayuso safe in the yellow of race leader (Image credit: Getty Images)

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Kirsten Frattini has been the Editor of Cyclingnews since December 2025, overseeing editorial operations and output across the brand and delivering quality, engaging content.

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