Volta ao Algarve: Sam Bennett wins stage 1 sprint
Deceuninck-QuickStep sprinter takes first leader's jersey
Sam Bennett won the opening stage of Volta ao Algarve after a typically exemplary lead-out from his Deceuninck-QuickStep team.
Despite a messy, technical final few kilometres, where two splits briefly occurred at the front of the peloton, Deceuninck-QuickStep still ensured both Davide Ballerini and Michael Morkov were able to lead Bennett out in the final kilometre.
Danny Van Poppel (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert Materiaux) sealed second place, with Jon Aberasturi (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) managing third.
“I’m pretty happy,” said Bennett at the finish. “I didn’t know how good the legs were going to be coming into this race after a short break. I was on the limit today, but the team did an incredible job. Even when they came down in crashes, they adapted to the situation and were able to do a fantastic job.”
The crash occurred 5km from the finish, when Bennett’s teammates Shane Archbold and Fabio Jakobsen came down, in an incident that caused a group of around 16 riders to open up a small gap over the rest of the peloton.
The two groups came back together a kilometre later, only for another four riders, including three from W52/FC Porto, to gain a few bike lengths after a motorcycle got in the way attempting to overtake the peloton as it narrowed going round a roundabout 3km from the finish.
They too were brought back, however, and Deceuninck-QuickStep were able to regain control at the front of the race at the crucial time, with Ballerini (who had also crashed earlier in the stage) moving to the front of the peloton as they reached the final roundabout of the stage inside the final kilometre, with Morkov and Bennett behind him.
“I just had to stay alert and try and stay upright,” explained Bennett in regards to this tense finale. “I put my trust in my teammates when they came back in the last 2k. It was hard in the end, my legs were kinda spent, but I managed to pull it off."
Despite winning the sprint comfortably ahead of Van Poppel, Bennett revealed that he actually didn’t feel very strong in the sprint, and felt as though he was lacking his best legs following a break from racing.
“I have a lot of work to do after the sensations I got today. But it was a boost of confidence as I could still finish the job off.”
How it unfolded
Having been postponed from its usual February slot due to the pandemic, the Volta ao Algarve got underway today with a flat opening stage expected to end in a bunch sprint.
This later date in the year meant warmer conditions, and the temperature neared thirty degrees with barely a cloud in the sky.
Five riders got into the day’s break, all of them from non-WorldTour teams. They were: Carlos Canal (Burgos-BH), Jon Irisarri (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Gustavo Cesar (Atum General-Tavira-Maria Nova Hotel), Hugo Nunes (Rádio Popular Boavista) and Nicolas Paredes (Louletano-Loule Concelho).
Five became four, however, when Paredes crashed only a few kilometres after the break had formed.
The peloton was happy to let them open up a gap, and the four remaining riders were free to contest the day’s intermediate sprints and sole categorised climb.
Irisarri and Nunes were the riders most interested in collecting these, with the former being first over the line on the climb and the first intermediate sprint, and the latter gaining maximum points over the latter two.
By the time Nunes won the sprint for the last intermediate sprint, there was just under 30km left to ride, and the peloton were less than one minute behind, with Bora-Hansgrohe and Deceuninck-QuickStep keeping them at a safe distance.
Everything was quiet and under control, although Deceuninck-QuickStep suffered a blow when Davide Ballerini was one of five riders to be held up in a crash 26km from the finish.
Another crash occurred shortly afterwards, this time involving about half a dozen riders. Thankfully all were able to continue.
The catch was made 19km from the finish, and shortly afterwards the sprinters teams started to mass at the front of the peloton, including Arkea-Samsic, Bora-Hansgrohe, Ineos Grenadiers and Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB.
The pace was high, but Peio Goikoetxea (Euskaltel Euskadi) attempted an attack 10km from the finish. He lasted a couple of kilometres, but the peloton was going too fast to allow him to survive any longer, with Ineos Grenadiers now at the front.
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA were leading the peloton when the first split occurred, and W52/FC Porto for the second, but inevitably it was Deceuninck-QuickStep who took over in the final kilometres to set Bennett up for the win.
Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 4:37:42 |
2 | Danny van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:00:00 |
3 | Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:00 |
4 | Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:00:01 |
5 | Iúri Leitão (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | 0:00:01 |
6 | Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 0:00:01 |
7 | Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:01 |
8 | Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:00:01 |
9 | Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:00:01 |
10 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:01 |
11 | Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:00:01 |
12 | Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | 0:00:01 |
13 | Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:01 |
14 | Jesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos-BH | 0:00:01 |
15 | Marc Sarreau (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00:01 |
16 | Daniel Freitas (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista | 0:00:02 |
17 | Enrique Sanz Unzue (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | 0:00:02 |
18 | Elie Gesbert (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | 0:00:02 |
19 | Samuel Caldeira (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:00:02 |
20 | João Rodrigues (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:00:03 |
21 | Luís Fernandes (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista | 0:00:03 |
22 | Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:03 |
23 | Ryan Gibbons (RSA) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:03 |
24 | Nicolas Prodhomme (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00:03 |
25 | Javier Moreno Bazan (Spa) Efapel | 0:00:04 |
26 | Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:04 |
27 | Luís Gomes (Por) Kelly-Simoldes-UDO | 0:00:05 |
28 | Georg Zimmermann (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:00:05 |
29 | Ivan Ramiro Sosa Cuervo (Col) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:00:05 |
30 | Alessandro Fedeli (Ita) Delko | 0:00:05 |
31 | Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:05 |
32 | César Fonte (Por) Kelly-Simoldes-UDO | 0:00:06 |
33 | Vicente Garcia De Mateos Rubio (Spa) Antarte-Feirense | 0:00:06 |
34 | Rafael Silva (Por) Antarte-Feirense | 0:00:06 |
35 | Gavin Mannion (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:06 |
36 | Diego Rosa (Ita) Team Arkea-Samsic | 0:00:06 |
37 | Oliviero Troia (Ita) UAE Team Emirates | 0:00:06 |
38 | Kévin Geniets (Lux) Groupama-FDJ | 0:00:06 |
39 | Lennard Kämna (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:07 |
40 | Alejandro Marque Porto (Spa) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:00:07 |
41 | Amaro Antunes (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:00:07 |
42 | Odd Christian Eiking (Nor) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:00:08 |
43 | Anthony Jullien (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00:08 |
44 | Gonçalo Amado (Por) Antarte-Feirense | 0:00:08 |
45 | Jetse Bol (Ned) Burgos-BH | 0:00:08 |
46 | Marti Marquez Roman (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | 0:00:08 |
47 | Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:00:08 |
48 | Oliver Naesen (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00:09 |
49 | Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
50 | Daniel Mestre (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:00:09 |
51 | Delio Fernandez Cruz (Spa) Delko | 0:00:09 |
52 | Jóni Brandão (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:00:09 |
53 | Leangel Ruben Linarez Meneses (Ven) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | 0:00:10 |
54 | Hugo Nunes (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista | 0:00:10 |
55 | Pascal Ackermann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:10 |
56 | Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:10 |
57 | Diego Lopez Fuentes (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | 0:00:10 |
58 | João Benta (Por) Radio Popular-Boavista | 0:00:10 |
59 | Maxime Bouet (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | 0:00:10 |
60 | Aritz Bagües Kalparsoro (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:10 |
61 | Damien Touze (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00:11 |
62 | Mauro Finetto (Ita) Delko | 0:00:11 |
63 | Davide Ballerini (Ita) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 0:00:11 |
64 | Joaquim Silva (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | 0:00:11 |
65 | Jose Manuel Diaz Gallego (Spa) Delko | 0:00:11 |
66 | César Martingil (Por) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:00:11 |
67 | Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:00:11 |
68 | Willem Jakobus Smit (RSA) Burgos-BH | 0:00:12 |
69 | Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:00:12 |
70 | Aleksandr Grigorev (Rus) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:00:12 |
71 | Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Burgos-BH | 0:00:12 |
72 | Gaspar Gonçalves (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | 0:00:12 |
73 | Julen Irizar Laskurain (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:00:12 |
74 | Leonardo Basso (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:00:13 |
75 | Rafael Lourenço (Por) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:00:14 |
76 | Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 0:00:39 |
77 | Joey Rosskopf (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:39 |
78 | Emanuel Duarte (Por) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:00:40 |
79 | Joan Bou Company (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:00:40 |
80 | Sergio Roman Martin Galan (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:40 |
81 | Fábio Oliveira (Por) Antarte-Feirense | 0:00:41 |
82 | Alberto Gallego Ruiz (Spa) Radio Popular-Boavista | 0:00:41 |
83 | Alvaro Trueba Diego (Spa) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:00:41 |
84 | Cesar Nicolas Paredes Avellaneda (Col) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:00:41 |
85 | Ivan Moreno Sanchez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma | 0:00:42 |
86 | Henrique Casimiro (Por) Kelly-Simoldes-UDO | 0:00:42 |
87 | Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:00:42 |
88 | Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:00:42 |
89 | Nuno Meireles (Por) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:00:42 |
90 | Colin Joyce (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:42 |
91 | Dimitri Peyskens (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:00:42 |
92 | Keegan Swirbul (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:43 |
93 | Remy Mertz (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:00:43 |
94 | Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:00:43 |
95 | Clément Carisey (Fra) Delko | 0:00:44 |
96 | Hector Saez Benito (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:44 |
97 | José Fernandes (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:00:44 |
98 | Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:45 |
99 | Bruno Silva (Por) Antarte-Feirense | 0:00:45 |
100 | Nathan Brown (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:51 |
101 | Kyle Murphy (USA) Rally Cycling | 0:00:51 |
102 | David Gonzalez Lopez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:00:51 |
103 | Martin Laas (Est) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:00:57 |
104 | Frederico Figueiredo (Por) Efapel | 0:01:01 |
105 | Ricardo Mestre (Por) W52/FC Porto | 0:01:03 |
106 | Cameron Wurf (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:01:03 |
107 | Rafael Reis (Por) Efapel | 0:01:04 |
108 | André Ramalho (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport | 0:01:04 |
109 | Brandon Rivera Vargas (Col) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:01:06 |
110 | Eduard-Michael Grosu (Rom) Delko | 0:01:08 |
111 | Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:01:20 |
112 | Karel Hnik (Cze) Efapel | 0:01:25 |
113 | Venceslau Fernandes (Por) Antarte-Feirense | 0:01:26 |
114 | Marvin Scheulen (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport | 0:01:35 |
115 | Marcelo Salvador (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport | 0:01:55 |
116 | William Bonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:02:23 |
117 | Clément Davy (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:02:23 |
118 | Baptiste Planckaert (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:02:23 |
119 | Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Delko | 0:02:23 |
120 | Gustavo Cesar Veloso (Spa) Atum General/Tavira/Maria Nova Hotel | 0:02:23 |
121 | Mikel Alonso Flores (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:02:32 |
122 | Tomas Contte (Arg) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:03:14 |
123 | David De La Fuente Rasilla (Spa) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:03:39 |
124 | Boy van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:03:59 |
125 | Kenny Molly (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | 0:04:16 |
126 | Gabriel Muller (Fra) Burgos-BH | 0:04:17 |
127 | Peio Goikoetxea Goiogana (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:04:31 |
128 | Dzmitry Zhyhunou (Blr) Euskaltel-Euskadi | 0:04:31 |
129 | Tiago Antunes (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | 0:04:32 |
130 | Julien Duval (Fra) AG2R Citroën Team | 0:04:32 |
131 | Pedro Paulinho (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | 0:04:32 |
132 | Christophe Noppe (Bel) Team Arkea-Samsic | 0:04:32 |
133 | Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:04:39 |
134 | Jonas Koch (Ger) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | 0:04:39 |
135 | Shane Archbold (NZl) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 0:04:56 |
136 | Fabio Jakobsen (Ned) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 0:04:56 |
137 | Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:05:53 |
138 | Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 0:05:53 |
139 | Carlos Oyarzún (Chi) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:05:53 |
140 | Jon Irisarri Ricon (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | 0:05:53 |
141 | Rui Rodrigues (Por) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:05:53 |
142 | Alexys Brunel (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 0:05:54 |
143 | Jesus Del Pino Corrochano (Spa) Louletano-Loulé Concelho | 0:08:56 |
144 | Edwin Avila Vanegas (Col) Burgos-BH | |
145 | Sérgio Paulinho (Por) L.A. Alumínios/L.A. Sport |
Pos. | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Deceuninck-QuickStep | 4:37:41 |
2 | Danny van Poppel (Ned) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux | |
3 | Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | |
4 | Stanislaw Aniolkowski (Pol) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | |
5 | Iúri Leitão (Por) Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua | |
6 | Michael Mørkøv (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep | |
7 | Jarrad Drizners (Aus) Hagens Berman Axeon | |
8 | Rui Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates | |
9 | Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers | |
10 | Mikel Aristi Gardoki (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi | |
11 | Michael Schwarzmann (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe | |
12 | Milan Menten (Bel) Bingoal Pauwels Sauzen WB | |
13 | Thomas Boudat (Fra) Team Arkea-Samsic | |
14 | Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates | |
15 | Jesus Ezquerra Muela (Spa) Burgos-BH |
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Stephen Puddicombe is a freelance writer based in Bristol. He has written for Cyclingnews since 2020, and has covered cycling professionally as a freelancer since 2013, writing for outlets such as Rouleur, Cycling Weekly and Cycle Sport, among other publications. He is the author of The World of the Tour de France, published by Sona Books. Outside of cycling he is a passionate cinephile, and a long-suffering Spurs fan.
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