The 24-year-old is eager to take on the first uphill finish.
The 50th edition of the Volta ao Algarve got underway with the longest stage of the week, from Portimão – home of the famous motor circuit that has hosted F1 and MotoGP races – to Lagos, a city with a long tradition in cycling, visited by a race for the first time more than 90 years ago, when a stage of the Volta a Portugal finished there.
The 200.8km leg that travelled close to the coast was a pretty quiet one with the exception of a crash that took place when the road narrowed and a massive pile-up took place. Warre Vangheluwe was among those to hit the ground, but fortunately, the Belgian neo-pro could continue the race and rejoin the peloton. There, the Soudal Quick-Step team stayed around two-time winner of the race Remco Evenepoel, who was present at the start just four days after taking the victory in his first race of the year, the Figueira Champions Classic.
The Belgian Champion came home in the same time as the winner Gerben Thijssen (Intermarche-Wanty) and is now looking forward to the first uphill test of the race: “It is mission accomplished for today. I was glad I could escape the crash and arrive here without any incidents. Thursday will be an important stage. We know the climb, it’s a nice one and we’ll go up the same side I won there in 2020, so I’m very motivated to do my best.”
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images
Remco Evenepoel 
