3 august 2024
It was the expected difficult day on the penultimate stage from Maia over 170 kilometers up the Senhora da Graca including almost 4000 meters of altitude. Right at the start, a very large, dangerous group with numerous top riders broke away. The “Captain de la Route” from Team Vorarlberg, Lukas Meiler, was there to keep watch!
Attack by Stüssi is countered
On the second last climb, the Team Vorarlberg pro attacks from the peloton, which is still five minutes behind. Eulalio Afonso counters. The yellow jersey is able to break away from Stüssi with a group. Lukas Meiler joins his leader. A chase race to the foot of the final climb. Stüssi and Meiler close the gap of one minute.
Second by second …
On the final climb, it becomes clear that the overall lead has been completely turned on its head. Afonso (Team ABTF), the overall leader until then, is distanced by Stüssi. The Swiss rider starts an incredible chase in front of thousands of spectators and finishes 13th on the stage. The gap to stage winner Abner Gonzalez (PUR / Efapel) is 3min 21sec. Russian Artem Nych (Sabgal-Anicolor) in second place and now leader of the stage race.
“We stayed cool for a long time today. However, the overall leader’s team made a classic gamble because they waited too long to take up the chase. As a result, the classification has now been completely turned upside down. Today Colin put in a sensational performance in the final and reduced the gap single-handedly. Lukas Meiler was able to support him for a long time, as was everyone else up to the long climbs. Nevertheless, the injured Jannis Peter was missing a lot for the final. We went to Portugal with the aim of delivering the best possible performance. Everyone did that with flying colors. No matter what happened tomorrow – a chapeau to Colin and the whole Team Vorarlberg squad for this part of team history!” says Thomas Kofler – Manager Team Vorarlberg
Pure excitement before the time trial!
In the overall standings, Colin Stüssi is now in fourth place, 53 seconds behind Artem Nych. Second Leaca Goncalo (POR / Credibom) +37 seconds. Third Abner Gonzalez with 49 seconds. (Note: the times are not yet 100% confirmed). Thus, Stüssi is only a few seconds short of an overall podium in tomorrow’s final time trial over 26 kilometers in Viseu. ALL THE BEST COLIN!
Result https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2024/stage-11
Profile stage https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2024/stage-11/info/profiles
Stage plan (total length 1,540 KM / 22,000 vertical meters)
24.07. Prolog Agueda – Agueda 5,6 KM
25.07. Etappe 1 Anadia – Miranda do Corvo 158,2 KM / 2838 HM
26.07. Etappe 2 Santarem – Lissabon 164,5 KM / 1132 HM
27.07. Etappe 3 Crato – Covilha (Torre) 161,2 KM / 3225 HM
28.07. Etappe 4 Sabugal – Guarda 164,5 KM / 3050 HM
29.07. Ruhetag
30.07. Etappe 5 Penedono – Braganca 176,8 KM / 3299 HM
31.07. Etappe 6 Braganca – Boticas 169,1 KM / 2671 HM
01.08. Etappe 7 Felgueiras – Paredes 160,4 KM / 2416 HM
02.08. Etappe 8 Viano do Castelo – Fafe 182,4 KM / 2404 HM
03.08. Etappe 9 Maia – Senhora de Graca / Mondim de Basto 170,8 KM / 3820 HM
04.08. Etappe 10 Zeitfahren 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;
Presseservice Team Vorarlberg
www.team-vorarlberg.at
office@proevent-cycling.at
(Copyright Photos Team Vorarlberg @Source)