Delio Fernandez, cyclist from the Algarve team AP Hotels & Resorts/Tavira/SC Farense, won the mythical stage of Torre and is the new yellow jersey of the 84th Tour of Portugal in Bicicleta.
On a day when things went well for the “Algarvians”, the also Spaniard Jesus del Pino, at the service of the other Algarve team, Aviludo/Louletano/Loulé Concelho, crossed the finish line in 4th place.
In what was the first high mountain day in this edition, Fernández, 37 years old, covered the 184,3 kilometers between Mação and Covilhã, at the top of the Tower, in 5:21.59 hours, achieving his fourth stage victory in the race, with six seconds of advantage for the Swiss Colin Stüssi (Vorarlberg), second, and 19 for the Spaniard Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), third.
It was predictable that the Torre stage would bring changes to the various classifications, but what happened was a real revolution and not just in the Yellow Jersey accounts. Coinciding the end of the stage with a Special Category Mountain Award, Delio Fernandez (AP Hotels & Resorts/Tavira/Farense) also became the “Kings of Trepadores” with the Blue Polka Dots Jersey.
In the fight for the White Jersey, the meritorious 14th place of the 21-year-old Afonso Eulálio (ABTF Betão / Feirense) earned him the leadership of the youth classification.
The only symbol that did not change was that of regularity or points, the Orange Jersey. The advantage previously achieved by the Czech Daniel Babor (Caja Rural / Seguros RGA) was enough to guarantee the distinction.
In the general accounts, the sixth classified of the Tour in 2022 is the new leader, with five seconds of advantage for Stüssi, second, and 10 for Juaristi, with Henrique Casimiro (Efapel) as the best Portuguese, in fourth, at 41.
On the eve of the rest day of the 84th Tour of Portugal this Tuesday, August 15th, a national holiday, the peloton faces the 6th stage, the connection from the border town of Penamacor to Guarda. There are 168,5 kilometers run from 12:50 pm.
Shortly after the start, the riders return to Penamacor to do the first Meta Volante, with bonus points also in Sabugal and Trinta, a parish in the municipality of Guarda.
The Mountain Awards are given in Sortelha, Guarda and Aldeia Viçosa of 3rd category and Videmonte. The latter is in 2nd gear, about 30 kilometers from the finish line.
Also noteworthy is a first passage at the place of arrival, in Largo Humberto Delgado, in Guarda, at around 15 pm. The end of the stage is scheduled as usual for 45:17.
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