Gomes surges from breakaway to win stage 7 at Volta a Portugal

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Figueiredo remains at top of GC and McGill leads sprint classification headed into weekend

Luís Gomes (Kelly/Simoleds/UDO) won stage 7 of Volta a Portugal from the breakaway
Luís Gomes (Kelly/Simoleds/UDO) won stage 7 of Volta a Portugal from the breakaway (Image credit: Volta a Portugal)

Luís Gomes (Kelly/Simoleds/UDO) survived from a large breakaway group to win stage 7 in Braga. Gonçalo Leaça (L.A. Alumínios / Credibom / Marcos Car) took second while Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was third. 

It was the first victory of the season for the 28-year-old from Portugal, who was extremely emotional at the finish to have won on home soil.

The top of the general classification remained unchanged, with Frederico Figueiredo (Glassdrive-Q8-Anicolor) leading the charge over his teammate Mauricio Moreira and third-placed Luís Fernandes (Rádio Popular - Paredes - Boavista).

The major obstacle of the day came with under 25km to go on the approach and ascent of the second-category Sameiro. The climb itself was 5.3km with an average of 6.5%, then the riders plummeted 9km to the finish line in Braga. By then the breakaway had enough time to hold off the peloton, but it was six riders who took the opportunity to accelerate and contest the victory. 

North American Joey Rosskopf (Human Powered Health) was the first to bridge up to the lead duo of Gomes and Joaquim Silva (Efapel Cycling), who had attacked, and then Leaça, Juaristi and Calum Johnston (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) made it six for extra firepower. Johnston would finish fourth, Silva fifth and Rosskopf sixth.

Scott McGill (Wildlife Generation) was marked all day in the breakaway by points classification contender João Matias (Tavfer-Mortágua-Ovos Matinados), as McGill remained in the sprint lead by four points.

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Jackie Tyson
Jackie Tyson
North American Production editor

Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).

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