How to win pro victory number one: Paul Seixas leaves Juan Ayuso and João Almeida gasping on Foia

The Volta ao Algarve got underway on Wednesday with an impressive start list, and that showed immediately in stage 1 into Tavira. There, the fast men fought for victory on a slightly uphill finish, with Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) taking the win.

That meant the young Frenchman started stage 2 in the leader’s jersey, but he already knew beforehand he would be giving it up. The finish on the Alto da Fóia — 8.8 kilometres at 6.2% — was far more suited to the climbers and GC contenders in this week’s Portuguese stage race.

Early on, it was once again the “smaller” names who animated the race. An eight-man breakaway was given space, featuring Bonillo, Contte, Linarez, Montez, Nunes, Sorarrain, Tivani and Enzo Leijnse — a rider Dutch fans will know well, and who had already shown himself on stage 1.

In the peloton, Lidl-Trek and UAE Team Emirates-XRG took control at the front in service of Ayuso and Almeida, respectively. With a little over 50 kilometres to go, other big teams also started to show themselves as the climb to Alferce (4.3 kilometres at 6.1%) signposted the start of the finale — though there were no major fireworks at that point.

Before the climb to Casais (2 kilometres at 7.9%) — the last ramp before the Fóia — positioning became crucial, with bonus seconds available at the top. Ayuso was alert and collected time there, while UAE Team Emirates-XRG kept the pace high heading towards the foot of the finishing climb.

Lidl-Trek took over once the road began to rise again, underlining their confidence in Ayuso. A final pull from Lennard Kämna set things up for the Spaniard to accelerate, with Almeida and Seixas able to follow. Brandon McNulty then lost contact — literally and figuratively — after crashing, while Thymen Arensman and Jarno Widar also began to struggle.

Seixas then drove the tempo in the lead trio. With 1.5 kilometres to go, teammate Matthew Riccitello bridged across alongside INEOS newcomer Oscar Onley. Riccitello moved to the front, but he was quickly passed when Almeida launched an attack.

The UAE leader went all-in in the final kilometre, but Ayuso and Seixas stayed glued to his wheel. In the sprint for the line, Seixas was narrowly the strongest, ahead of Ayuso and home favourite Almeida. Arensman finished 13th on the stage.