Yellow jersey relinquished – but second place won! Colin Stüssi finishes eighth after a spectacular third stage of the Volta a Portugal
What a fight! Colin Stüssi has to give up the leader’s jersey at Covilha Torre in eighth place – but not the race!
This Saturday’s 161-kilometer stage from Crato led to the roof of the Tour. Up to Covilha Torre at 1985 meters. Immediate attacks after the start until a larger group was able to break away. Felix Stehli covered his interests today with his presence in the leading group. At the back of the peloton, the work lies on the shoulders of Benz, Konychev, Meiler and Co.
The competition strikes back, but Stüssi counters with incredible fighting spirit!
After catching up at the foot of the monster mountain with 22 kilometers of climbing, the group is dropped. The Portuguese and Spaniards immediately attack the leader. At first Stüssi is able to counterattack, but has to pay tribute to the superiority and ride his pace. Jannis Peter is doing some really valuable teamwork today. He stays with his team-mate for a long time.
Stüssi reduces deficit with maximum performance – second place overall
He is already almost three minutes behind stage runner-up Eulalio Afonso (POR / ABTF Betao) after four kilometers. Afonso 1min 25 seconds behind in the virtual leader’s jersey. Then the Swiss rider turns the throttle again. He reduces the gap to stage winner Sergio Chumil (GUA / Burgos-BH) to 1 min 35 seconds (!!) and finishes eighth. But today he has to push himself to the limit and sometimes over the limit.
Eulalio Afonso now leads Colin Stüssi by eleven seconds. The competition has also closed the gap. Jon Augirre (SPA / Kern-Pharma) follows two seconds behind in third place. Mikel Bizkarra (SPA / Euskaltel) in fourth place with plus 26 seconds on Stüssi.
Marked Lukas Rüegg after a heavy fall
Unfortunately, the Swiss noble helper Lukas Rüegg had a bad fall in a downhill today through no fault of his own. After rough first aid, the 27-year-old was able to continue the race. But in pain. He continues to be cared for by the support staff. We will see tomorrow whether Rüegg can continue the tour.
“We didn’t lose the yellow today, we won second place. Colin didn’t have the best day today, but when you see how he fought, that’s really great. Now the work lies with the Portuguese team ABTF Betao around leader Afonso. We are anything but unhappy about that. All the drivers did a great job again today. AND we all hope and fear that Luki Rüegg didn’t get hit too hard!” says Team Manager Thomas Kofler
Result https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2024/stage-4
Stage profile https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2024/stage-4/info/profiles
Stage 4: Another tough section before the rest day
The topography also shows one thing tomorrow. It will be brutally difficult again with over 3000 meters of climbing and constant ups and downs from Sabugal to Guarda (164 kilometers / four mountain classifications).
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;
Dominik Amann in seventh place in Munich!
The current national champion from Hohenems finishes a strong seventh in today’s criterium in Munich after a fast race against the best criterium riders in Germany, showing his current level. Laurin Nenning also finishes the race.
Press Service Team Vorarlberg
