Good Performance By A Swiss Climber | Volta a Portugal Stage 1 2024

The reigning champion of Volta a Portugal Colin Stüssi performed on stage 1 with an early attack on the final climb, winning his second stage in the legendary race.

It was one of the toughest climbs in Volta a Portugal, Observatorio de Vila Nova (9.00 km, 8.74%). In the 2022 edition, Frederico Figueiredo set a climbing record with 6.17 ᵉW/Kg for 27 minutes flat. Since the 2022 W52-FC Porto scandal, the race has slowed down and the climbing performances have not improved like in WorldTour races.

It was a very easy day before the final climb with Euskaltel – Euskadi talented climber Joan Bou, spending 2,505 kilojoules for 3:46h at 11.52 kj/kg/h. It meant that the riders would push relatively good watts with low fatigue. With four Spanish pro-continental teams and some stronger continental teams on the start list, it was going to be a good race.

The 2023 race winner Colin Stüssi was feeling strong on the climb as he attacked the Sabgal / Anicolor mountain train paced by Frederico Figueiredo with 4.5 km to go. The 2022 race winner Mauricio Moreira was not feeling well and could not challenge the best climbers. The 31-year-old Swiss climber was not caught on the steep ramps and won his second Volta a Portugal stage. Stüssi pushed 6.2 ᵉW/Kg for 27:02 min, losing only 2 seconds to the climbing record set by Figueiredo, who today lost 2:43 min. Antonio Carvalho lost 28 seconds with 6.05 ᵉW/Kg. Best Spanish pro continental riders Jon Agirre, Ander Okamika and Joan Bou finished in the top 10 with 5.88 – 6.00 ᵉW/Kg performances.

Stussi became the new race leader as the opening day was a prologue won by Rafael Reis. Stage 9 will finish up the legendary Senhora da Graca climb, where in the 2017 edition Raul Alarcon did 6.65 ᵉW/Kg for 20:55 min, but in the 2024 edition, it will be hard to challenge this epic performance.

Results powered by FirstCycling.com