Geoghegan Hart completes first race back after injury as time trial world champion comes out on top in Portugal, reports Tom Thewlis
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) wrapped up overall victory at the Volta ao Algarve last weekend as Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) also opened his account for the season.
Evenepoel’s impressive stage-four time trial win, his first as time trial world champion, proved to be enough to secure his third overall title at the Portuguese stage race.
However, he was made to work for it on the final stage, which finished atop the punishing Alto do Malhão climb. Van Aert launched a huge breakaway attack which momentarily appeared to place Evenepoel’s overall lead in jeopardy.
Matters were made worse for Evenepoel when an issue with his bike forced him to ride the final climb in his big chainring. Nevertheless, van Aert was eventually caught and Evenepoel took second on the stage behind Dani Martínez (Bora-Hansgrohe) to wrap up the overall title.
“I had to do it in my 54-tooth chainring, even though I prefer to climb on a high cadence. That cost me the energy I needed in the sprint, it killed my legs a bit,” Evenepoel said.
“This win means a lot to me. It is a very nice race and the level is high this year,” he added. “Particularly when you see how hard the Bora-Hansgrohe team, and especially Martínez, were racing here.”
Martínez got the better of Evenepoel on both summit finishes. As well as his final-day victory, the Colombian also won stage two, which finished on the Alto de Fóia, while Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty) won stage one, and van Aert took stage three.
Geoghegan Hart returns
Meanwhile, Lidl-Trek’s Tao Geoghegan Hart came through his first race back unscathed after months out recovering from a broken femur sustained in a crash at last year’s Giro d’Italia. The Briton was making his debut for his new team in Portugal after joining from Ineos Grenadiers over the winter.
“It’s been good. I’ve had positives and things to work on from the week, which is what you’d expect, so it’s good to be back racing,” Geoghegan Hart said. “For sure, after some recovery next week, with the racing I’ve had here, I’ll hopefully take another step in my condi
