DISCUSSION | UAE 6/ Algarve 4/ Andalucia 4 - Del Toro ruthless for the rivals, Magnier unopposed, Visma stumbles again

Another day with three different menus. The United Arab Emirates, the Algarve and Andalucia gave us one more time almost eight hours of cycling, full of nuances, some suspense and excitement right up to the final pedal strokes.

The start of the stage brought some action in the formation of the breakaway, which eventually stabilised and was established with eight riders. The stage was raced at a very high speed, with teams such as UAE Team Emirates - XRG, Bahrain - Victorious and Lotto-Intermarché determined to chase the escapees and prevent the breakaway from gaining too much of an advantage.

When the decisive phase of the day arrived, UAE Team Emirates kept the pace high in the first kilometres of the climb. Up front, the breakaway completely shattered, leaving the two INEOS Grenadiers riders at the head of the race, holding on until around 6 km from the finish.

We saw multiple attacks in the GC favourites’ group, with the first riders to open a small gap being Felix Gall and Harold Tejada. Both stayed at the front of the race for a few minutes… until Isaac del Toro launched his first attack.

The Mexican attacked and Antonio Tiberi followed on his wheel. Tiberi was struggling, but clung to Del Toro’s wheel with a tremendous effort.

Luke Plapp bridged across to the leading duo, but shortly afterwards Isaac del Toro attacked again. Tiberi responded, but just a few dozen metres later he could not hold the pace of the UAE rider, who went clear at the front of the race.

Luke Plapp increased the tempo and Tiberi could not follow the Jayco rider. Shortly afterwards Felix Gall came flying past the Bahrain rider. The doubts were gone… Tiberi’s engine had blown.

Isaac del Toro won the stage, followed by Luke Plapp and Felix Gall. Tiberi finished fourth, 31 seconds behind the winner, also losing the race lead.

Remco Evenepoel rode a controlled climb and even attempted an attack, but it was clear he does not have the strongest legs for this type of terrain at this stage of the season.

In Spain, we had a rather uneventful stage. The breakaway of the day was made up of three riders, reduced to just two with around 40 km to go.

The escapees were caught with 25 km remaining, and Movistar moved to the front of the peloton to set the pace. However, some attacks started to appear as the Golden Kilometre drew closer.

After the Golden Kilometre, Christophe Laporte, Tim Wellens and Marcin Wudzinsky gained a small advantage over the peloton, but the chase led by UNO-X Mobility ended the trio’s move with less than 3 km to the finish.

Visma and UNO-X controlled the pace, preparing their sprinters for the stage finale, and the peloton entered the final kilometre as one compact group.

Axel Zingle was the first to launch his sprint, with Soren Waerenskjold of Uno-X on his wheel. However, the strongest rider of the day was Tom Crabbe of Team Flanders-Baloise, who powered to an impressive victory, beating Soren Waerenskjold and Milan Fretin, who completed the podium.

The day in the Algarve was brightened by the Portuguese Continental teams, who formed the breakaway of the day and animated many dozens of kilometres.

Among themselves, they contested the KOM points and the intermediate sprints. The breakaway was completely reeled in with 26 km to go, after a first passage across the finish line.

The same finish where last year the finale was chaotic, when the riders followed the organisation’s motorbikes. Filippo Ganna would win the stage while riding on a road parallel to the finishing straight, as the rest of the riders pedalled among cars and spectators.

After the breakaway was caught, the peloton spread across the full width of the narrow roads. With 10 km to go, calm prevailed at the front of the peloton and everyone was riding at a controlled pace.

With 6 km remaining, a crash occurred involving around 10 riders. The peloton continued at a moderate speed, with INEOS, UAE, Lidl and Tudor occupying the entire width of the road.

At around 3 km to go, there was a brutal acceleration. The peloton surged from a calm 35 km/h to 70 km/h. The storm had been unleashed. Tudor set the pace until the final kilometre, Tim Torn Teutenberg launched the sprint, but victory was destined for Paul Magnier.

The young Soudal - Quick Step rider accelerated decisively and, when he did, he surged past all his rivals to win convincingly, beating Jordi Meeus of Red Bull - Bora - hansgrohe, who finished second on the day.

At the UAE Tour I saw an expected finale. A stage ridden at high speed, with the breakaway kept under control and everything decided on the final climb.

Remco Evenepoel said at the start of the day that he might try to win the stage, but he is definitely not on good legs in the United Arab Emirates.

Isaac del Toro attacked, Tiberi responded. Luke Plapp managed to bridge across to the leading duo, but the Mexican did not even let him breathe, he accelerated again and Tiberi responded once more. But Tiberi cracked. Del Toro is on another level.

This climb suited him perfectly and the best Tiberi could do was limit his losses. The UAE rider sealed the GC with this victory.

In Spain, Tom Pidcock picked up two bonus seconds at the Golden Km, which will likely make little difference in the GC. Tom Crabbe of Flanders - Baloise pocketed the win in a way that was as surprising as it was deserved. It was no fluke.

Visma controlled proceedings, saw Laporte waste unnecessary energy and in the end were out of contention for the stage. Another shoot oneself in the foot for the Dutch team.

In Portugal, the national teams animated part of the day and the expected bunch finish in Lagos meant the peloton rode at a moderate pace, keeping the breakaway under control.

I thought it would be a more tense finale, but to be honest it lacked a bit of spice. Only in the final 3 km did we see real action, with Tudor raising the pace. Once through the final roundabout, the one that caused chaos and controversy last year, the sprint was on.

The sprint was a bit chaotic, disorganised, and with 300 metres still to go I was already saying Magnier would win easily. And he did. Jordi Meeus was on his wheel and finished a bike length behind. Magnier is a youngster who really whets the appetite for what is to come.

There are established and renowned sprinters in the Algarve who did not even make the Top 10. It makes you wonder. Are they having trouble sprinting? Have they forgotten how? Because no one can see them.

At Andalucia we've had a nice victory for Flanders - Baloise, which I'm quite happy to see. A team that has struggled in the last few years, and I feared for its demise.

Tom Crabbe's performances don't automatically save it but all of a sudden they are once again a competitive team even against World Tour teams, meaning there's more teams to consider in the big races, and a team with plenty tradition in the peloton too. A proper revival which makes me quite happy.

In the Algarve a regular bunch sprint was expected and we've gotten it. Of course, because it is Portugal, everyone in the breakaway raced against each other all-out to get every little award before getting caught.

The sprint was chaotic once more, I think Tim Torn Teutenberg could've won after seeing the helicopter shot and seeing just how much speed he was carrying before hitting the front, but he was slightly blocked.

Paul Magnier's second win really pops out and he seems to be taking the step to A-level sprinter... We shall see in the next few months. Jasper Philipsen's absence is not good, specially with Kaden Groves present as a leadout; but Alpecin won't be sweating much.

He always puts his focus on the classics early in the spring, and the team don't really usually have their leaders in good form by this time.

At the UAE of course we have the big story of the day: Isaac del Toro won at Jebel Hafeet and will win the GC. I expected it at the start of the week, he is in fact an 'alien' as we say. He sprinted, he climbed... I think at Jebel Mobrah his conservative pacing tactic was wise but perhaps not the most efficient, but today he was by far the strongest.

His attacks were also so long which seems to show how he must've been very fresh until the 4-kilometer to go mark. He has nothing to prove in my opinion, but he is starting here a season which I think will include several top-level victories and a podium at the Tour, even if he is on full support role, would not surprise me in any way.

Antonio Tiberi looked very good, until he did not. Today was the level that was expected of him, only he took himself past his limit to try and follow Del Toro. With the climb having flat and downhill sections towards the end, I think he decided right, but the risk didn't pay off.

He will still be satisfied with the outcome of the week.Remco Evenepoel won't, he certainly did not have a better performance today than in Jebel Mobrah. He is not a pure climber by nature and so I do believe he will be much better in Catalunya after an altitude camp and specific mountain work.

But no, I never would've expected to see him finish this low on GC, it was a poor week of racing even if he did win the time trial. Not a disaster, but his flaws continue to exist and must be taken into consideration with more attention from now until the Tour.