"He was smarter than me in the final": Juan Ayuso applauds Algarve stage 2 winner Paul Seixas
Cycling
The second stage of the 2026 Volta ao Algarve delivered the expected show on its final climb to Fóia with Paul Seixas victorious ahead of Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida. Heading into tomorrow's time trial, the trio sport a healthy advantage over their GC rivals with only Oscar Onley and Matthew Riccitello within half a minute after the first two days of racing.
"It was certainly exciting, because it was a close call," Ayuso told Cycling Pro Net after the stage. "I would have liked to win to thank my teammates for the work they did, but unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be."
Ayuso was the first to try, but ultimately couldn't break away from Seixas. "I knew beforehand that he would be one of the rivals, and he proved it again. He was smarter than me in the final stages: I knew I had to take the penultimate corner first, but he still outmaneuvered me."
"When I launched the sprint, I was already several bike lengths behind," Ayuso glumly stated. "But hey, he deserved it. On Friday, I have another chance in the time trial, and ultimately, it's all about the overall victory on the final day."
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Almeida looks for revenge against the clock
For Joao Almeida, the Volta ao Algarve is already his second stage race of the season, however with Volta Comunitat Valenciana left at mercy of the weather conditions, the race didn't quite live up to the expected spectacle. Thus, the home stage race is Almeida's first opportunity to truly put himself in the test against the best. And on Foia, Almeida's best was just enough to finish 3rd behind Seixas and former teammate Ayuso.
"It was a tough climb. There was a lot of stop-and-go, a bit irregular," the Portuguese rider recalled the decisive ascent.
The day wasn't flawless from UAE Team Emirates - XRG perspective as back-up leader Brandon McNulty had to recover from a heavy crash and couldn't go all out in the final kilometers: "It was also a shame that Brandon McNulty crashed, because I think he would have been with me anyway, and then we could have played the game more," he continued. "I did try, but I fell a bit short. Ultimately, I'm happy with the result and I'm looking forward to the time trial."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026 - Indeed! A reluctant gift maybe. Even more reluctant gift from Roglic! Tho I can’t see that Rog would have beaten Ving anyway.Lozza14-11-2026
- That really nasty crash in 2022 Liege must have played a big part - broken ribs, pneumothorax. You only have to look at his points tallies pre and post.Lozza14-11-2026
- Yeah, good luck getting tv and race organisers like ASO etc to part with their cash!Lozza14-11-2026
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