Antonio Morgado reacts 'special' win on home roads at Figueira Champions Classic 2025: "To win in Portugal is a big deal for me"

21-year-old Antonio Morgado continues to prove himself as not only a star of the future, but very much a star of today. On Sunday afternoon, on home roads at the 2025 Figueira Champions Classic, the Portuguese wonderkid channelled his inner Tadej Pogacar to solo to victory with an incredible 21km long attack.

“This win feels really special for me," the UAE Team Emirates - XRG talent reflected post-stage in a press release posted to his team's official website. "I’ve been training well and my sensations are very good on the bike so I knew if all went well that I would have a chance today. I felt good during the race and our team was strong. From last year I knew the critical moment would probably be on the steep climb where I attacked so I saw my moment to move and I took it."

Morgado's second win of the 2025 season already, this one was made all the more sweeter by the fact he so stunningly secured his triumph on home roads and in front of his delighted compatriots at the roadside. “For me I’m so happy and proud to win here in Portugal. Like the Belgians want to win in Belgium and the French want to win in France… I’m no different," he concludes. "This is the only professional Classic we have here in Portugal and to win it is a big deal for me.”