Unbelievable! Colin Stüssi storms into the yellow leader’s jersey with a solo victory on the first stage of the 85th Tour of Portugal UCI 2.1
Unbelievable! Colin Stüssi celebrates solo victory on the first stage of the 85th Volta a Portugal and takes the overall lead!
It was a fierce battle on the difficult first stage of the Volta a Portugal. At the mountain finish after 158 kilometers (2838 vertical meters) from Anadia up to the Observatorio Villa Nova near Miranda do Corvo, the contenders for the overall standings showed a broad front.
Hectic due to defects on the approach
Several material problems caused a lot of work in the race car of sports director Werner Salmen and team mechanic Riko Räim. The drivers also had to put in extra effort as a result. Lukas Rüegg, Alexander Konychev, Felix Stehli and Pirmin Benz shielded their leader in exemplary fashion. In the last 30 kilometers, the riders from Vorarlberg were right at the front. Stüssi finished third in the first mountain classification.
Solo from Stüssi and SIEG!
Jannis Peter and Lukas Meiler placed Colin Stüssi optimally in the nine-kilometer final climb. First a wait-and-see approach, then an ever faster pace. Then the attacks for the day’s victory. Jannis Peter stays in front of Colin Stüssi for a long time. He takes the reins himself five kilometers before the finish and splits the field. Stüssi is solo for three kilometers. Then an incredible fight on the last kilometer with a 20% gradient. The Swiss rider wins solo ahead of Antonio Carvalho (POR / ABTF Betao) and his compatriot Luis Fernandes (Credibom-LA Aluminos).
Colin Stüssi: “I rode at kilometer four and got away and rode my kick. The final was so hard that I thought it would never end. But everyone suffered today and I’m happy about this important victory for me and my colleagues!”
Overall lead, points and mountain jersey – AND with a big task for EVERYONE!
Colin Stüssi is now 32 seconds ahead of Carvalho and 58 seconds ahead of Fernandes. He also took the mountains and points jersey.
“It was incredible what Colin did today, but also the whole team. The focus is now on this, because as the new leader, the main work awaits Team Vorarlberg. But what you’ve got, you’ve got and we’re delighted with this victory for the first time. We’ll leave everything else to us!” says sports director Werner Salmen!
Result https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2024/stage-1
Star list https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2024/startlist
Stage 2 with bunch sprint in Lisbon?
According to the road book and theory, everything is set for a sprint finish in the Portuguese capital on Friday. After 164 kilometers from Santarem, the road to Lisbon is undulating. One of the few chances for the pure sprinters. They will do everything they can to keep the peloton together.
Stage plan (total length 1,540 KM / 21,582 vertical meters)
24.07. Prologue Agueda – Agueda 5.6 KM
25.07. Stage 1 Anadia – Miranda do Corvo 158.2 KM / 2838 HM
26.07. Stage 2 Santarem – Lisbon 164.5 KM / 1132 m elevation gain
27.07. Stage 3 Crato – Covilha (Torre) 161.2 KM / 3225 m elevation gain
28.07. Stage 4 Sabugal – Guarda 164.5 KM / 3050 HM
29.07. Rest day
30.07. Stage 5 Penedono – Braganca 176.8 KM / 2797 HM
31.07. Stage 6 Braganca – Boticas 169.1 KM / 2671 HM
01.08. Stage 7 Felgueiras – Paredes 160.4 KM / 2416 HM
02.08. Stage 8 Viano do Castelo – Fafe 182.4 KM / 2404 m elevation gain
03.08. Stage 9 Maia – Mondim de Basto 170.8 KM / 3820 HM
04.08. Stage 10 Time trial Viseu – Viseu 26.6 KM / 418 HM
Line-up Team Vorarlberg: Colin Stüssi, Jannis Peter, Lukas Meiler, Felix Stehli, Lukas Rüegg, Alexander Konychev, Pirmin Benz;
Press Service Team Vorarlberg
