Algarve Stage 3

I can summarize today's stage with a simple equality: Team Sky = OUCH! Seriously though, that says about everything for stage three. It was 190km of up and down with a final up to the finish. Sky made the pace high all day, and attrition did its work on the field. The race started to really get hard around km 120 when we took some small, twisty roads with the KOMs of the day. The field was surely depleted when we finished that section, but it might have regrouped a little on the descent and before a hard kicker about 15km from the finishing climb.

To be honest, we had planned to go to the front there and start doing our work, but Sky was so strong that it was not really possible. I went to the front right before that last kicker, but they immediately went over me and then proceeded to drop me! It was a little depressing actually. I managed to hang onto the group over the top and then to the base of the final climb where it was only 30-40 guys left, but I was empty at that point. Tiago rode a great stage finishing second. It will be tough, but he is in the best position possible to take the race win if he can ride a good TT on Sunday.

Tomorrow is likely to be a sprint finish, so Sunday's TT is usually the decider for the race, but anything can happen. Send us strong vibes!