Volta a Portugal stage 10: Penafiel time trial
The 2008 Volta a Portugal wraps up with a 31.2 km time trial.
Second only to free Chipotle burrito cards – meet Dan Martin!
While there wasn’t much I had to say about the last stage, there is just about everything I could write about yesterday. Stage 9 consisted of five major climbs with the first starting as we crossed the KM 0 sign and the last finishing as we crossed the finish line. There were the countless attacks [...]
Portugal stage 9: Martin 8th on stage, 9th overall and still holding onto best young
Dan Martin continued to hold his own in what has become a race within a race for the Best Young jersey on today’s epic 5-climb stage in Portugal. Keeping the lead group in check, Dan didn’t let Tiago Machado, second in the Best Young race, get too far ahead of him. Machado finished 17″ ahead [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 9: Fafe>Mondim de Basto (Srª da Graça)
Tought the shortest road stage of the race, the penultimate day of the 2008 Volta a Portugal will certainly test the riders’ weary legs with five climbs and a finish on high. The climbs include in order of appearance: category 2 Lameira, category 1 Alto do Viso, category 1 Alto do Velao, category 2 Cavernelhe [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 8: Barcelos>Fafe
Today’s sharply rolling stage 8 is 169.5 km long and includes four climbs: the category 2 Covide, the category 2 Canicada, the category 3 Santa Leocadia and the category 3 Fojos. Today’s stage is schedule to start at 13:00 and finish at 17:20.
Portugal stage 7: Martin 7th in uphill finish, increases Best Young lead
Just seconds behind the front group, Dan Martin finished 7th on today’s hilly stage 7, further increasing his lead as the Best Young Rider and maintaining his position in the overall classification. Dan still has two hard climbing days to increase his lead before the race finishes with an individual time trial on Sunday. **Stay [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 7: Póvoa de Varzim>Santo Tirso
The first of the final series of mountain days, stage seven includes two climbs and is 177.8 km long. The first climb comes at 127 km and is the category 3 Balazar. The category 2 finishing climb is the Monte Nª Srª Assunção. Today’s stage is scheduled to start at 12:45 and finish at 17:20.
The race has only just begun!
Yesterday’s stage 6 here in Portugal was a typical transition stage from the first mountains of the race to the next. The team took a step back today from trying to represent ourselves in the breakaways to focus on the finish line. With 18 roundabouts in the last 10 km, we knew it would be [...]
Portugal stage 6: Tyler 7th, birthday boy Dan still Best Young
The last relatively flat day before the Volta a Portugal goes back into the hills, today’s stage ended in a field sprint with Tyler Farrar finishing 7th. Also finishing in the front group was Dan Martin, who turned 22 today. Dan’s smart finishes in the front these last few flat stages has not only allowed [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 6: Aveiro>Gondomar
The “calm before the storm,” today’s 170.6 km stage is rolling to flat and gives the riders one more day to work out their legs before the mountains hit. Today’s stage is scheduled to start at 13:15 and finish at 17:20.
Portugal stage 5: Tyler sprints to 2nd!
Though the players were the same, the outcome of today’s final sprint for stage 5 of the Volta a Portugal was slightly different. With some team sacrifice and a strong lead-out from the Argyle Armada, Tyler Farrar (above) was in perfect position position for the sprint where he took second to Francisco Pacheco (winner of [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 5: Gouveia>São João da Madeira
After a day of recovery, stage 5 eases the riders back into the hills with a couple of lesser climbs and a 186 km long course. Today’s stage starts at 12:45 and finishes at 17:20.
Volta a Portugal REST DAY
The Volta a Portugal takes a day off before the race hits the mountains in earnest.
Portugal stage 4: Tyler 4th after insanely fast stage
Fourth from the left, Tyler Farrar giving it a go for the finish of a crazy fast stage. Today was insanely fast. We covered 165 km in 3 hours and 40 minutes. I’m still crossed and so are the rest of the guys. We did the first 50 km in one hour and it didn’t [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 4: Guarda>Viseu
After yesterday’s hard mountain day, stage 4 backs it off a bit. Today’s relatively short course is 154.4 km long and rolling to downhill to Viseu. Today’s stage starts at 13:30 and finishes at 17:20.
Limiting losses and keeping the jersey in the family
What a strange day. Today’s stage 3 start here in Portugal was held under sunny skies, so we wore as little clothing as possible. There were a few dark clouds, but it rained for just five minutes. The rain happened to coincide with a downhill cobble section where Christian got taken out, luckily without consequence. [...]
Portugal stage 3: Martin 12th on high mountain stage, takes over Best Young
Today’s three climb stage took its toll on the Portugal peloton and turned the overall classification upside down with the epic finish climb on Alto da Torre. Climbing specialist Dan Martin finished 12th on high and took over the Best Young Rider classification from teammate Steven Cozza. Dan’s finish moved him up to 11th on [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 3: Idanha-a-Nova>Seia (Alto da Torre)
The race finally hits the mountains today and the 171.5 km includes three climbs. The category 2 Alto Teixeira comes at 77 km and the category 1 Portela do Arao comes at 115.6 km. The finishing climb is the hors category Alto da Torre. Today’s stage is scheduled to start at 12:40 and finish at [...]
Portugal stage 2: Farrar 3rd in field sprint!
Stage 2 of the Volta a Portugal came down to field sprint where Tyler Farrar demonstrated his late season form by finishing third. There were no major changes to the overall classification with Steven Cozza third overall and Tyler Farrar fourth. Cozza still rules the Best Young Rider classification and Team Garmin-Chipotle H30 is still [...]
Volta a Portugal stage 2: Vila Viçosa>Castelo Branco
Starting in the beautiful Vila Viçosa, stage 2 is 165.5 km long and includes one KOM – the category 3 Vila Velha de Rodao – and three sprint lines. Today’s stage is scheduled to start at 13:15 and finish at 17:20.
Volta a Portugal stage 1: Portimão>Beja
Stage 1 of the Volta a Portugal is 198.6 km long and relatively rolling. The only categorized climb of the day is the category 3 Barranco do Velho. Today’s stage is scheduled to start at 12:30 and finish at 17:20.
Racing and living like kings in Portugal
Left to right starting with cyclists: Steven Cozza, Tyler Farrar, Dan Martin and DS Johnny Weltz. Today was the kick-off for the Tour of Portugal. It was a 6 km out and back course through the city of Portifino. Lots of round abouts and lots of wind. I went off early in the line-up and [...]
Portugal presentation: Skinny guys, dancing girls and lots of fans
The longest stage race I have ever ridden starts today. So far, Portugal has impressed. Awesome hotel, good roads for training at least, weather isn’t great yet but that will get better, and a lot of fans. I have heard good things about the number of spectators at this tour, and judging by the crowd [...]
Volta a Portugal prologue: Portimão
The opening prologue of the 2008 Volta a Portugal is 6.4 km long. Today’s stage is scheduled to start at 14:30 and finish at 17:30. Team Garmin-Chipotle H3O start times 15:11 Steven Cozza 15:28 Christian Meier 15:45 Lucas Euser 16:02 Chris Sutton 16:19 Pat McCarty 16:36 Dan Martin 16:53 Tyler Farrar
