Volta ao Algarve. Samuele Battistella second atop Alto da Fóia

Astana Qazaqstan Team’s Samuele Battistella sprinted to a second place in the uphill finish of Stage 2 of the Volta ao Algarve. Some 20 riders arrived at the top after the final 7.5 kilometer climb. Hayter and Battistella started the sprint but were passed in a last move by David Gaudu, who took the stage and the leader’s jersey.

“The final 7.5-kilometer uphill were not so steep. My plan was to try to stay in the wheels and to sprint. I made a mistake and started my sprint too early, with 300 meters to go. With that head wind, that was really too early. The legs were blown up when we approached the finish line. In earlier sprints, I’ve started often too late and was then boxed in, that’s why I decided already this morning to start the sprint first. Unfortunately”, – explained Samuele Battistella.

Battistella is 12th in the General Classification now, 29 seconds behind the new yellow jersey David Gaudu.

“I have no GC ambitions any more after my 28 seconds loss due to yesterday’s crash at 12 kilometers from the finish, but the legs are good. We can still do something the coming stages”,– concluded Samuele Battistella.

Photo credit: @Gettysport