Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2019: Stage 3
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the 45th Volta ao Algarve. Today's stage 3 time trial runs 20.3km around Lagoa.
Riders will be setting off at one-minute intervals until the top ten, when the riders will be separated by two minutes. Those at the sharp end of the GC will hit the road in around three hours' time.
Today's stage is a little lumpy, but with the altitude never exceeding 100m above sea level, it's nothing to put off any pure time trialists in the peloton.
It's an out-and-back course, from Lagoa to the coast and back. It looks like there's a headwind on the short coastal section, but nothing too strong.
Here's the stage map.
It's the same route as last year's time trial, which saw Geraint Thomas beat Victor Campenaerts by 11 seconds for the win. Stefan Küng took third, 19 seconds down.
Here's the top ten from that day, and here's the stage report.
1 Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team Sky 0:24:09
2 Victor Campenaerts (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:00:11
3 Stefan Küng (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:00:19
4 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar Team 0:00:22
5 Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky
6 Tony Martin (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:27
7 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:47
8 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors 0:00:49
9 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky 0:00:50
10 Lukasz Wisniowski (Pol) Team Sky 0:00:51
The first several riders are out on course now. There's no television coverage for at least an hour and half though, so updates will be sporadic until then.
Here are the top riders at the second time check at 13.6km.
1. Josef Cerny (CCC Team), 18m30s
2. John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), 19m36s
3. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), 19m58s
Cerny has set the fastest time so far. He was the fourth man off and his 25:39 leads all completed riders.
Cerny is the fastest at all checkpoints at the moment, actually. Here's the top five at the finish.
1. Josef Cerny (CCC Team), 25:39
2. Mads Wurtz Schmidt (Katusha Alpecin), 25:49
3. Amund Grøndahl Jansen (Jumbo-Visma), 26:44
4. John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), 26:58
5. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo), 27:09
Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) has started well, with a time of 6:29 after 5.7km. That's the fastest so far.
And Pedersen sets the new fastest time, 20 seconds faster than Cerny. He's top of the leaderboard at 25:09.
Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo) has gone through the first check at 5.7km with a time of 6:31. That's two seconds slower than Pedersen.
Mullen goes fastest at the finish, becoming the first rider to break the 25-minute barrier. His time of 24:41 is 28 seconds faster than Pedersen.
Television coverage has started, and Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-Quick Step) looks to be going quickly.
Loïc Vliegen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) has just set off. He's 30th overall, so 29 more men to go. The top ten set off in two-minute intervals, remember.
Lampaert goes fastest at the 13.6km checkpoint with a time of 17:40. That's nine seconds up on Mullen.
Here's the top ten at the moment.
Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-Quick Step), 24:38
Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo), 24:41
Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), 25:09
Tao Geoghegan Hart (Sky), 25:09
Nils Politt (Katusha Alpecin), 25:15
Stephen Cummings (Dimension Data), 25:19
José Gonçalves (Katusha Alpecin), 25:23
Dylan van Baarle (Sky), 25:24
Casper Pedersen (Sunweb), 25:35
Josef Cerny (CCC Team), 25:39
Amaro Antunes (CCC Team) heads out on course. He lies 8th at 1:42 and was on the attack multiple times in the finale yesterday.
Küng goes fastest with a time of 24:33. It's only his third race day of the season. Five seconds faster than Lampaert.
Sam Oomen's (Team Sunweb) 25:53 means Kragh Andersen is up to fourth overall. Mas, Poels and Pogačar remain out on course.
Mas finishes just outside the top ten with a time of 25:18. Kragh Andersen is on the provisional podium now, with Mas five seconds back by my calculation.
Poels is outside the top ten. He finishes with a time of 25:26, slower than Mas. An unexpectedly slow time trial from the Sky man.
Pogačar had a great time trial! He finishes fifth and stays in yellow! 24:50 for the neo-pro.
Stefan Küng is the stage winner.
Here's the top ten on the stage.
Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), 24:33
Soren Kragh Andersen (Team Sunweb), 24:35
Yves Lampaert (Deceuninck-Quick Step), 24:38
Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo), 24:41
Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), 24:50
Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), 25:04
Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), 25:09
Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Sky), 25:09
Nils Politt (Team Katusha Alpecin), 25:15
Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-Quick Step), 25:16
Mas finishes 12th and Poels 18th.
Here's the top ten on the stage
Stage 3 result
1 Stefan Küng (Swi) Groupama-FDJ 0:24:33
2 Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb 0:00:02
3 Yves Lampaert (Bel) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:05
4 Ryan Mullen (Irl) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:08
5 Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:17
6 Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:32
7 Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo 0:00:36
8 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Sky
9 Nils Politt (Ger) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:42
10 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:43
It's another sprint stage tomorrow, so we're unlikely to see much GC movement. All eyes will be on Sunday's stage to Malhão, though Pogačar looks in a great position to retain his lead and win the overall.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Giro d'Italia Women stage 5 LIVE: Can anyone gain time on GC during a brutal day of climbing in the high mountains?
The peloton heads into the Dolomites for four categorised climbs and virtually no recovery sections over 146 kilometres with 3,200 metres of elevation gain -
Matteo Jorgenson changes plans for Tour de France build-up
26-year-old now won't race the Tour de Suisse before supporting Jonas Vingegaard in July -
Where do the Tour de France contenders stand before the final build-up races? Updated 2026 form ranking after the Classics and Giro d'Italia
June brings a last chance to see Seixas and Pogačar in action before the Grand Départ at Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Tour de Suisse
-
Catalan independence groups call for 'major protest' during Tour de France Grand Départ in Barcelona
Assemblea and Òmnium Cultural aim to put 'Catalunya's independence in front of millions of viewers around the world' as Tour visits region in July -
Wilier Triestina Rave SLR ID2 gravel bike review: Addictively fast and unapologetically racey
The more I rode the Rave SLR ID2, the more I liked it, but there is one thing I would change -
How to watch Giro d'Italia Women 2026 – Free live streams, TV channels, schedule for the second women's Grand Tour of the season
All the broadcast information for the Giro d'Italia Women as the race head into the hills
-
Damiano Caruso may be set to retire from racing at the end of 2026 but he won't be going far
Italian rider to stay with Bahrain Victorious, transitioning into a sports director role -
Unbound Gravel decides Life Time Grand Prix wildcards with Danni Shrosbree and Martins Blums topping the table of new recruits
Balance of US and international riders among the seven to join the series fray, with two riders from New Zealand following in the footsteps of Cameron Jones -
Brody McDonald and Marlies Mejías earn omnium titles at Armed Forces Cycling Classic with consistent podium finishes at two-day event
USPro criterium champion Kendall Ryan short of podium on Saturday at Capitol Cup then wins Sunday to honour grandfather








