No regrets for Evenepoel with second on Fóia summit finish at Volta ao Algarve

ALTODAFOIA PORTUGAL FEBRUARY 15 Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Team Soudal Quick Step crosses the finish line as second place winner during the 50th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2024 Stage 2 a 1719km stage from Lagoa to Alto da Foia 888m on February 15 2024 in Alto da Foia Portugal Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) finishes second on stage 2 of Volta a Algarve across the summit of Alto da Fóia (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Close to the summit of the Alto do Fóia climb, a statue of Remco Evenepoel commemorates his 2020 breakthrough win on the Volta ao Algarve’s toughest ascent, his left arm punching the sky in a timeless reminder of his first-ever victory on a mountaintop finish.

Four years on in the same scenario, as dense mist enshrouded the top of the exposed, treeless climb and a vicious Atlantic wind and occasional heavy rain shower left race followers shivering, the Belgian could not repeat his single-arm victory salute.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.