Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) opened his 2024 season with a trademark long-distance solo triumph, going it alone 53km from the end of the Figueira Champions Basic.
The Belgian, who took on the second version of the one-day race forward of subsequent week’s Volta ao Algarve, was ‘led out’ by a number of of his QuickStep teammates earlier than leaping away from the peloton with 4 main climbs left to run throughout the closing three laps of the 192.4km race.
UAE Staff Emirates tried to chase down the previous world champion, first with Marc Hirschi, then with a sustained solo experience by Isaac Del Toro, after which with their group on the head of the peloton, however Evenepoel – as he has so typically previously – proved to be uncatchable.
As Del Toro dropped again to the peloton 27km from the road, Evenepoel loved a lead of over a minute, and he’d remained untroubled on the run to the end to cross the road for the 51st victory of his profession.
Behind him, tentative strikes have been made within the peloton because the group raced over the ultimate quick and sharp climb of the Enforca Cães and into the flat run to the road. Nonetheless, it was a decreased chase group which got here to the road.
Alpecin-Deceuninck led the group to the end with a mini lead-out practice, but it surely was Vito Braet (Intermarché-Wanty) who got here out on prime within the dash for the road leaping off Astana Qazaqstan lead-out Cristian Scaroni’s wheel to pip fellow Astana man Simone Velasco.
The Belgian led dwelling the group at 1:48 down on Evenepoel, whereas Velasco grabbed third forward of Lars Boven (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Marius Mayrhofer (Tudor Professional Biking).
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