Algarve cyclist Vera Vilaça (Velo Performance / JS Campinense) climbed to third place in the overall final, in the Women's Tour of Portugal Cofidis, which ended this Sunday, in a stage between Aveiro and Anadia.
The Tour was won by the Swedish Nathalie Eklund (Massi Tactic), who won all the stages.
The 104,7 kilometers that separated Aveiro from the end of the race, in Anadia, were covered at a breakneck pace, which made the last run an elimination race.
The platoon was successively losing elements as the kilometers advanced. But it was already within the municipality of Anadia that the main movements took place.
The two rounds of the circuit that, next month, will host the European Under-23 and Under-19 Championships, have made a real dent.
On the first pass through the circuit, where two mountain counts were placed, the peloton was reduced to around 15 elements.
On the final lap, attacks followed, with only four runners leading the way, Nathalie Eklund and Mireia Benito (Massi Tactic), Ruth Shier (Team LDN/Brother UK) and Vera Vilaça. The four of them went together to the finish line, installed on a ramp, today still hardened by the force of the side wind.
Nathalie Eklund didn't give the competition a chance and did the full. She finished in front, with 2h42m02s, thus winning all stages of the competition. Ruth Shier and Vera Vilaça spent another second and Mireia Benito was 4 seconds behind.
The first chasing group would arrive 39 seconds after the winner, comprising two Portuguese women, Ana Caramelo (Kiwi Atlantico Louriña), seventh, and Beatriz Pereira (Portuguese National Team), 14th.
After all, Nathalie Eklund finished the race in possession of the Jogos Santa Casa Yellow Jersey, followed by teammate Mireia Benito, who spent another 18 seconds, but won the Red Cofidis jerseys, for the points, and the Blue IPDJ, for the mountain.
“It's amazing to win four stages in four days. In fact, I felt a little sick before the race and I almost didn't come to Portugal. I was feeling better day by day. Today my team did an excellent job again, in the stage that, for me, was the easiest, since the route better adapted to my characteristics. Now I will try to be national champion of Sweden, I will try to revalidate the time trial title and recover the background title, which I already won in 2020”, confessed the smiling Nathalie Eklund after the end of the race.
Vera Vilaça was with the best every day and today she managed to reach the podium. She was ranked third overall, 32 seconds behind the winner. Ana Caramelo was ranked tenth, at 2m07s.
“This Tour was much tougher than I expected. I had the intention of winning the yellow jersey, but I left very satisfied with my performance. It was four very hard days, especially the last two. The race took place outside my comfort zone, but I was well prepared to respond to the might of Massi Tactic. When I decided to dedicate myself XNUMX% to cycling, I had this as the goal of the season and I think this race will be an excellent platform to be able to become a professional cyclist in the future”, considers Vera Vilaça.
Massi Tactic won all the classifications, as it also prevailed in the collective general, its runner Mireia Trías takes home the Medium White Jersey for the best youngster.
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