Paride Grillo prospers in Portugal

Paride Grillo has returned back to his full sprinting speed with a win in the 69th Volta a Portugal stage 1. The 25 year-old Italian from Como was forced out of the Giro d'Italia on the mountain run to Santuario Nostra Signora Della Guardia but yesterday in the 196.4-kilometres stage to Beja he proved the mid-season 'pausa' did him well.

He took the sprint over compatriot Fabrizio Guidi (Barloworld) and Portugal's Manuel Cardoso (Riberalves-Boavista). Saturday's prologue winner Martin Garrido (Duja-Tavira) continues to lead the race.