Volta ao Algarve: Evenepoel wins stage 2

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Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-QuickStep) claimed his third victory of the season on stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve, surging clear of a reduced group of favourites at the top of the Alto da Foia.

On his European season debut, following a stage win and the overall title at the Vuelta a San Juan, the 20-year-old marked himself as the favourite for the Algarve title with a convincing display on the first of two summit finishes.

400 metres from the top of the 7.5-kilometre climb, after a big turn from 21-year-old teammate Joao Almeida, he sprang clear of a group of 15 riders and quickly opened up a handsome gap. Max Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) issued the strongest response, clawing his way back, and almost snatching it, but Evenepoel produced a final kick and punched the air as he crossed the line and took the leader's yellow jersey.

Dan Martin (Israel Start Up Nation) claimed the final spot on the podium a couple of seconds later, just ahead of Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) and Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal). Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) followed at five seconds, and there were a further three seconds back to the Trek-Segafredo duo of Vincenzo Nibali and Bauke Mollema.

"It's amazing. Actually, I just followed, followed, followed on the final climb, then Joao did a great job in the last two kilometres. I had the feeling I had something left for the last 500m and it worked out," said Evenepoel, who went on to dedicate his win to Lotto Soudal's Nikolas Maes, whose baby son recently died.

"In the bus this morning I said 'if I win I will dedicate it to him', so this win is for him and his wife. I will also give some flowers to him. There are more important things in life, and stuff like this is more important than my victory today, so this is for him and his family."

After the bunch sprint finish in Lagos on the opening day, the Alto da Foia was the first of two summit finishes that will shape this race ahead of the 20-kilometre final-day time trial on Sunday. The 7.5km final climb, which averaged 5.5 per cent, came after a relentlessly hilly final 40km, with four climbs – two uncategorised – leading to the foot of the Foia.

While it was another great day for QuickStep, who have two wins from two days after Jakobsen's triumph in Lagos, it was a miserable one for Team Ineos as Geraint Thomas, Michal Kwiatkowski, and Rohan Dennis all fell away. After Dennis was dropped on the penultimate climb, the category-2 Pomba, Thomas fell down the reduced lead group 3km from the top of the Foia, just as Ben Swift was setting the pace for Kwiatkowski. The Welshman was soon dropped when Lopez went on the attack, and then Kwiatkowski lost contact inside the final kilometre and conceded 27 seconds to the stage winner.

At that point, Simon Geschke (CCC Team) had just been brought back by Almeida after a kilometre-long attack, and Evenepoel was biding his time. When he went, he quickly opened up a far more promising margin than anyone else had managed on what was a subdued battle on the final climb.

Schachmann, who cut a frustrated figure at not being able to overhaul Evenepoel, nevertheless finished alongside him and so – in the absence of bonus seconds – is tied on time in second place on the general classification. Martin is third at two seconds.

Friday's stage 3 is likely to end in another bunch sprint but it's back uphill for the finale of stage 4 on the shorter but steeper Alto do Malhão. While Schachmann and Martin will fancy their chances there, the final-day time trial tips the balance firmly in the favour of Evenepoel, the European champion.

"There's still a big day on Saturday, and I'll have to defend the jersey there, so we'll see," said Evenepoel.

"Sunday is a big day for me and hopefully I can take the yellow jersey away with me."

How it unfolded

The 183.9km stage from the coastal town of Sagres to the top of the Alto da Foia started out with a three-man breakway, featuring Michael Schär (CCC Team), Casper Pedersen (Team Sunweb) and Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix). Gerard Armillas (Efapel) attempted to bridge across but was unable to get any closer than 30 seconds before he rejoined the bunch.

By the top of the day's first climb, the category-3 Marmelete, after 49km, the breakaway trio had established a lead of 2:30. On the rugged terrain thereafter, however, there was a marked increase in urgency in the peloton and the gap tumbled to as low as 20 seconds at one point. Wary of making the catch too early, the peloton took their foot off the gas as they approached the feed zone with 80km to go.

In the final 40km, two short but sharp uncategorised climbs – along with descents – preceded the category-2 Alferce and Category-3 Pomba climbs. It was on the second of these climbs that De Bondt called it a day in the break, as Trek-Segafredo took the reins in the bunch, now one minute behind.

Schar and Pedersen – the former doing all the work – hung on to the top of Alferce but the peloton was hot on their heels and it was all back together with 21km to go.

Ineos led the way down to the foot of the Pomba, but UAE soon took control through Joe Dombrowski. The American produced a fine display to lead to the top of the climb – by which point 40 riders remained – and then onto the Foia.

With 6km to go, the first proper attacks were made by Astana, who sent Colombians Rodrigo Contreras and Harold Tejada for brief forays up the road, but UAE were in control, with Jan Polanc taking over for Costa once Dombrowski was done.

With 3km and 20 riders left, Swift took over from Polanc, with Kwiatkowski in the wheel, but Thomas was almost at the back of the now 20-rider group, and soon lost contact when Lopez attacked. Costa responded to it, with Martin and Nibali tucked in behind. A brief lull saw Geschke try his luck and while he stayed out for longer than the others, he never got very far.

That was due to Almeida, who took the reins in the final 2km and set a strong pace to set up Evenepoel. When he went, he was convincing, and while Schachmann came back to make it look far less assured, it was a performance that puts the 20-year-old firmly in the driving seat.

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