Colin Stüssi causes the big sensation at the 84th Volta Portugal UCI 2.1 – stage win and new overall leader of the tour!

 

Yesterday’s rest day after more than 1000 race kilometers was balm for the seven Team Vorarlberg pros. The support team worked a lot with man and material to be prepared for today’s seventh stage over 162 kilometers. And this one had it all again with 3400 meters of altitude and a mountain finish at Montealegre.

 

Team play at its best – Vermeulen and Meiler strong as an ox

Colin Stüssi’s team colleagues Lukas Meiler, Moran Vermeulen, Lukas Rüegg, Jon Knolle, Oscar Cabedo and Pirmin Benz did a brilliant job again today and lined up right at the front. Meiler takes third place in the first mountain classification. Knolle second in the first sprint classification.  Moran Vermeulen leaves with the breakaway group to be present here for his captain. Like the day before yesterday, he’s right in the Tour’s best group after the reel-in to help Colin.

 

Stüssi sees the chance to win and YES – WIN at Montalegro!!!!

What follows is an incredible elimination race up Montalegro at 1519 meters. The second placed Delio Fernandez falls back. Stüssi attacks with the Spaniards from Euskatel Euskadi. Then the current leader Artem Nych from Russia (Team Glassdrive) explodes. Stüssi continues to increase the pace, gaining second after second on his direct competitors. One kilometer before the finish you can see the flash in the eyes of the Swiss. He senses the big chance – opens the sprint and wins by a hair’s breadth ahead of Luis Angel Mate (SPA/Team Euskatel Euskadi)!

 

UNBELIEVABLE! Colin Stüssi of Team Vorarlberg new leader of the Volta Portugal – Oscar Cabedo on rank ten

With this victory, the Team Vorarlberg pro takes over the overall lead of the Tour. He is now 28 seconds ahead of Artem Nych (RUS/Glassdrive) and 34 seconds ahead of Euskatel pro Luis Angel Mate.

Strong also Oscar Cabedo. He becomes stage seventh today and is now also tenth overall!

 

Colin Stüssi on the victory: “What is happening here is simply incredible. This team inspires me every day. Everyone is giving their all for me. It’s brutally hard here in the heat and the many climbs, but the intensive training has now paid off. The others didn’t know us yet, which also played into our cards. Now we are challenged – it will be a really hard piece of work. But I say THANK YOU again to the whole team including the support staff!”

 

Tomorrow Friday the eighth stage from Boticas to Fafe over 147 kilometers. No longer with quite so many meters in the air, but a dangerous one all the same for the overall standings.

 

Result: https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2023/stage-7

Overall ranking https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-portugal/2023/stage-7-gc

 

Stage overview

09.08. Prologue Viseu – Viseu 3,6 Km

10.08. Stage 1 Anadia – Ourem 188.5 Km

11.08. Stage 2 Abrantes – Vila Franca de Xira 177.3 Km

12.08. Stage 3 Sines – Loule 191.8 Km

13.08. Stage 4 Estremoz – Castelo Branco 184,5 km

14.08. Stage 5 Macao – Covilha 184,3 Km

15.08. Stage 6 Penamacor – Guarda 168,5 Km

16.08. Rest day

17.08. Stage 7 Torre de Moncorvo – Montalegre 162,6 Km

18.08. Stage 8 Boticas – Fafe 146,7 Km

19.08. Stage 9 Paredes – Mondim de Basto 174,5 Km

20.08. Stage 10 Viana do Castelo – Viano do Castelo 16,3 Km

 

Line-up Team Vorarlberg: Lukas Rüegg, Moran Vermeulen, Lukas Meiler, Jon Knolle, Pirmin Benz, Oscar Cabedo, Colin Stüssi;