Gustavo Veloso defends Volta’s lead in the climb to Larouco
Spaniard Gustavo Veloso (W52-FC Porto) will have another day today as the general leader of the 81st Tour of Portugal by bicycle, defending the yellow jersey in the seventh stage, on the final climb to Serra do Larouco.
Veloso, who crashed on Wednesday, as well as a team-mate and second overall João Rodrigues, faces a 156.2-kilometer test between Bragança and one of Portugal’s highest points (1,503 m).
The day begins in Bragança, where the sixth tirade ended, and crosses three flying targets and an equal number of mountain counts, the first at 72.3 kilometers, in Bolideira, a second category.
More difficult will be the climb to Torneiros, a first category in the village of Boticas, at 116, before the ‘dreaded’ rise in Montalegre, with an average slope of 5.8% over 9.2 kilometers.
After the climb to the Torre, in the fourth stage, ‘crowning’ João Rodrigues, the second day of high mountain tests again the candidates, with the Spanish Vicente García de Mateos (Aviludo-Louletano) in third to 22 seconds.
At the podium’s door are two Efapel Portuguese players, Jóni Brandão, in fourth at 25, and Henrique Casimiro, at 45 seconds, closing the lot of cyclists within a minute of Veloso, champion in 2014 and 2015.
