Algarve Stage 1

Stage 1 is wrapped up, and everything for our team is fine. Our GC guys didn't lose time, nobody had any big incidents/crashes, and we still have 4 days of racing to go! Today was surprisingly hard really, but the beautiful, warm sun made it a little easier. It was pretty fast all day, and the terrain was not easy. There were no real mountains, but the "rollers" here are really steep. With the steep rollers and the twisty, small roads, the race was pretty nervous with guys fighting for position. There was quite a lot of wind, too, but because of the terrain, the wind didn't play a big factor with little opportunity for a crosswind split.

For me, the sensations were average. I didn't feel super, but I wasn't bad. I am expecting that my legs will actually respond favorably to the racing and come better in the next few days. I'm hoping the sun keeps shining, the wind dies down, and the team keeps rolling. I am also hoping the nervousness of the field calms a little, too. I think everyone gets super excited for the first race of the season and goes crazy when it isn't necessary, which can make things a bit chaotic and dangerous. It is bike racing though and that's all they're doing, so I guess I better man up and start racing! The first stage is always the most frenzied, too because everyone is fresh and wanting to fight. Usually the second stage and beyond are more calm as guys get a little tired or relax a bit.

Tomorrow's stage is hard to predict. I would imagine another small break goes and a bunch kick for the finish, but you never know. As proven today, the terrain is not flat, so I imagine whatever it is, if we go at a similar tempo to today, the effort will be taxing by the end. I can report back with my findings after the stage tomorrow! Ciao.