Seixas pips Ayuso in Algarve thriller on Alto da Fóia

Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) claimed a thrilling victory atop the Alto da Fóia after he pipped Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) in a sprint to the line on the first mountaintop finish of the race.

João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was third ahead of Oscar Onley (Ineos) and Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM) after a no-holds-barred contest on the climb.

Ayuso laid out his intentions by putting his Lidl-Trek team to work at the foot of the final climb and he kicked off the attacking with 3.5km to go, with only Seixas and Almeida able to follow.

Seixas would take over shortly afterwards, and his efforts briefly distanced Almeida, who rode in his typically measured fashion to avoid going into the red. Onley and Riccitello bridged across as the road eased slightly in the final 2km, but it was clear that the initial three attackers were the day’s strongmen.

Almeida made three sustained efforts to go clear in the final kilometre, with Ayuso responding each time, before Seixas opened his sprint from distance. Ayuso again responded and he drew level with the Frenchman in the closing metres, but he was beaten in the bike throw to the line.

After leaving the start Portimão, a break of eight riders forged clear of the peloton, but Gorka Sorarrain (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Enzo Leijnse (Anicolor-Campicarn), German Nicolás Tivani, Tomas Contte (Aviludo-Louletano-Loulé), Hugo Nunes (Credibom-LA Alumínios-Marcos Car), Alexandre Montez (Feirense-Beeceler), Iker Bonilla (Feira dos Sofás-Boavista) and Leangel Rubén Linarez (Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua) were never going to upset the odds on this terrain, and they were swept up over the top of the day’s penultimate climb, the category 3 Casais.

That meant the GC contenders could contest the bonus seconds on offer during the Golden Kilometre, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) nabbing three seconds, while Ayuso came through for a single second.

Ayuso’s Lidl-Trek squad took up the reins at the foot of the 8.9km Alto da Fóia, which was being tackled from a new approach this year. Hector Álvarez set a searing pace on the lower slopes before Lennard Kämna took over with 5km to go.

With 3.5km to go, Ayuso launched his attack, with only João Almeida and Paul Seixas able to follow, while the unfortunate McNulty crashed on a corner at the exact moment the Spaniard accelerated.

Seixas would showcase his quality on the steepest section of the climb, even if he could never shake off Ayuso, and that pair would emerge as the most explosive on the final kick to the line. 

Like Tadej Pogacar back in 2019, Seixas secured the first win of his professional career on the Alto da Fóia. Ayuso takes over the yellow jersey for Paul Magnier thanks to the bonus seconds he accrued across the day, but he will start Friday's time trial on the same time as Seixas. Almeida lies third overall at seven seconds, with Onley fourth at 14 seconds.