Wout van Aert let himself get 'fooled' and jokes with stage winner: "He talks slow, but it’s still Dutch"

The Belgian was well aware of the possible course of the final in southeastern Portugal. "It's a pretty easy final, with a wide road until a kilometer and a half before the finish. Positioning will not be easy, but it will be crucial," he said ahead of the third stage of the Tour of the Algarve, which had a roundabout and a sharp turn in the final kilometer.

That was precisely where things went a little wrong for Van Aert, who, like the other men from Visma | Lease a Bike, could save himself for most of the day. "It was an easy ride until the last five kilometers. It was still a bit hectic along the way, but we had a headwind. And there was hardly any incentive to break away," the Belgian said, explaining the course of the ride in the Algarve.

"The last five kilometers were very punchy. It went very fast," the Belgian explained. "Sadly, I made a mistake before the last turn. I lost my place just before that last turn and couldn't recover. I did sprint, but it was for places five to ten."

You can't say he was happy, but Van Aert left Tavira feeling slightly content. "I couldn't sprint on Wednesday, but it was a good sprint this time. However, it's difficult to judge because I came from behind and had little room left to move to the front. I was just glad to be there," he said after the finish.

After the race, Van Aert immediately went to day winner Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) to congratulate his compatriot on his stage victory. "Things didn't go my way, but I think Jordi won a great stage here," Van Aert said. "He talks a little slow, but he's still Dutch. We can communicate," he jokingly concluded his interviews after the stage.

Van Aert has two more chances for success in the final weekend of the Tour of the Algarve. On Saturday, a stage over a few hills with a flat finish in Faro is on the program, while the five-day event in the south of Portugal will conclude on Sunday with a 19-kilometer time trial. This ends at the Alto de Malhao, a 2.5-kilometer climb with an average gradient of just over 9 percent.