“I have a big goal in less than a month, so I preferred not to take risks” – Filippo Ganna claims Algarve TT despite riding within himself

Filippo Ganna underlined his status as one of the world’s premier time trialists on Stage 3 of the Volta ao Algarve, powering to victory in Vilamoura with a performance he insisted was measured rather than maximal.

The Italian stopped the clock in 21:53.663 for the 19.5-kilometre individual time trial, averaging 53.5 km per hour. It proved enough to hold off Juan Ayuso by 5.686 seconds, with Jakob Soderqvist completing the podium.

For Ganna, it was his first major test of the season against the clock.

“It’s the first time trial of the season, so it’s the first time doing an effort like that this year,” he said afterwards in conversation with Cycling Pro Net. “I’m pretty happy.”

The course along the Algarve coast was fast but technical in places, with several corners and patches of gravel demanding precision as much as power. Ganna made clear that outright risk was never part of the plan.

“It was nice,” he said of the route. “There were some corners with a bit of gravel, and I didn’t want to take too many risks. It’s important, but I have one big goal in less than a month, so I preferred not to take too many risks and just try to finish with a good feeling in the legs.”

That balance between ambition and restraint defined his ride. He set the fastest intermediate split and carried the advantage to the finish, but without the sense of desperation that sometimes characterises early-season efforts.

Behind him, Ayuso came closest, while several general classification contenders limited their losses. Yet the stage itself was a specialist’s affair, and Ganna delivered as expected.

Asked about his current condition, the Italian was clear that this victory was part of a broader progression.

“It’s building,” he said of his form. “This is one of the best races to do at this time of year. Three years ago, I finished second overall here, so I like this race a lot. It’s a really nice country to start the season. We hope it helps to improve and arrive ready when it’s time to really push.”

That perspective framed the afternoon not as a peak, but as a marker.

Ganna secured the stage win with authority, but the more telling detail may be that he did so while consciously holding something back. With a bigger objective on the horizon, the Algarve time trial offered confirmation that the foundations are in place and that there may be more to come when the real target arrives.