Almeida, Ayuso and Lipowitz clash in first mountain stage of Volta ao Algarve

After an initial opportunity for the sprinters, the climbers take center stage on Thursday in the Volta ao Algarve. The finish line is drawn on the slopes of a notorious punisher: the Alto da Fóia. Will Joao Almeida strike immediately on home soil? WielerFlits looks ahead!

Route

On Thursday, the riders will climb the infamous Alto da Fóia (8.8 kilometers at 6.2%). This is where the general classification will begin to take shape. The climb to Fóia is much tougher than it appears on paper because it is a rather irregular mountain. For example, there is a section of 1.7 kilometers at 9.7 percent during the final climb and another of 1.3 kilometers at 9.1 percent.

Before tackling Alto da Fóia, there is a hilly approach of 139 kilometers from Portimão. Along the way, there are three third-category climbs, including the ascent to Casais (2 kilometers at 7.9%), which serves as a foretaste of the finale at sixteen kilometers from the finish.