Remco Evenepoel squeaks past big crash on first day of Volta ao Algarve

LAGOS PORTUGAL FEBRUARY 14 Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Team Soudal Quick Step competes during the 50th Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta 2024 Stage 1 a 2008km stage from Portimao to Lagos on February 14 2024 in Lagos Portugal Photo by Dario BelingheriGetty Images
Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) competes during the opening stage of 2024 Volta ao Algarve (Image credit: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) said before stage 1 of the Volta ao Algarve that his main mission on a day seemingly made for a bunch sprint was not to lose time needlessly. But through no fault of his own, at one point failing to achieve that goal came a lot closer than he would have liked.

A major crash with around 30 kilometres to go saw half the peloton blocked behind the fallers, with Soudal-QuickStep first-year pro Warre Vangheluwe amongst the fallers, and Evenepoel was only just able to get past. 

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.