Manuel Cardoso, the Portuguese from the Spanish team Caja Rural, won this Monday, in Oliveira do Bairro, the 5th stage of the 75th Tour of Portugal Liberty Seguros.
In the discussion in the middle of the “capital of Bairrada”, Cardoso repeated a triumph obtained in exactly the same place in 2007 in the Sergio Paulinho Trophy.
This time the sprinter, from Paços de Ferreira, was ahead of Delio Fernandez (OFM / Quinta da Lixa) and Fábio Silvestre, second and third.
“This stage was very difficult. We had in mind to retrieve the Red Sweater. The initial course had a lot of mountains and we let the other teams attack. Very calmly we knew how to wait, we stayed together and after the mountains it was time to put the strategy into practice. My team was brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! I thank the team with all my heart. I would still like to win one more stage and definitely win the Red Jersey. I know it will be impossible to reach Amarela”, confessed Manuel Cardoso, known among the peloton as the “TGV do Norte” for his characteristics as a very fast runner in the completion of stages and who had long been looking for a triumph like this.
The victory in the stage that precedes the rest day served him to recover the Banco BIC Red Jersey from the points classification.
With the arrival in platoon, all were counted with the same time keeping the Spaniard Sergio Pardilla (MTN / Qhubeka) the Yellow Jersey Liberty Seguros. Márcio Barbosa (LA Alumínios / Antarte) by taking part in the day's flight, consolidated the leadership of the mountain prize and the Blue Podium Jersey.
The RTP White Jersey, for the best youngster, remains in the possession of Kazakh Vladislav Gorbunov (Astana).
Algarvians on the way back
This time, the best cyclist of an Algarve team was the Spanish António Olmo, from Louletano/Dunas Douradas, in 13th, with the same time as the winner of the stage.
Henrique Casimiro (Banco BIC/Carmim) was once again the fastest of the Tavira team, having finished 37th, being 18th in the overall standings, where the highest-rated “Algarvian” is still Rui Vinhas (Louletano/Dunas Douradas) , in 12th.
Round Stage in Oliveira do Bairro
This Tuesday, the day of rest of the Volta a Portugal, cyclists take the lead. The traditional and increasingly popular “Etapa da Volta” takes place this year in Oliveira do Bairro.
The route of the “Etapa da Volta RTP Vitalis” has 66 km with departure and arrival at the Municipality of Oliveira do Bairro. The departure will be at 9:30 am.
Participants make a first pass through the goal area when they have covered about 40 km, entering a circuit that will be completed twice until they finish the route, which should happen shortly after midday.
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