Cyclingflash
Ayuso and Seixas ready for Algarve finale showdown after seconds battle: "All or nothing"

Ayuso and Seixas ready for Algarve finale showdown after seconds battle: "All or nothing"

Nick Doup

The tension is palpable at the top of the Volta ao Algarve 2026 leaderboard, especially after Friday’s nearly 20-kilometer time trial. While Filippo Ganna took the win in Vilamoura, Juan Ayuso and Paul Seixas, favorites for the general classification, were not far behind. With just seven seconds separating them, they head into Sunday’s exciting final stage to Alto do Malhao. At WielerFlits, we look ahead.

Lidl-Trek leader Juan Ayuso finished second, only five seconds behind time trial powerhouse Ganna in the almost flat TT. "The team gave me split times along the way," he explains. "We had a reference from my teammate Jakob Söderqvist (third in the results, ed.) and we knew he was riding well. I knew I was doing very well compared to Jakob. In the end, the difference is five seconds… It always hurts, but losing to one of the world’s best is a bit easier to swallow."

Not far behind Ayuso and Söderqvist was the 19-year-old Seixas, the surprise fourth-place finisher on the day. He lost just seven seconds to Ayuso, which is now also his deficit in the GC. "It’s do or die," says Seixas confidently. "I have nothing to lose and want to go all in for the overall win. I already have the stage victory, but now the GC is also an option. I will do everything to bring out the best in myself."

"If you see how strong he is today and also was yesterday, he will definitely put pressure on me," Ayuso expects. "The time gaps are small, so everything is still open."

Ayuso and Seixas were allowed to race without the leader’s jersey
It was also notable that Ayuso and Seixas, as leaders in the general classification and young rider classification respectively, did not wear their leader’s jerseys during the time trial. "We were in contact with the organizers and the UCI, and they understood that it’s important for us to start in our own time trial suits," Ayuso explains. "It takes a lot of time and money to make them, and it also ensures equal conditions for everyone."

"Besides, this is a preparatory race for us where we also want to test our equipment ahead of the upcoming major races," adds the Spanish climber. "We got permission for that, and I am grateful to the organizers."