"If I compare with last year, I think I'm much better" - Almeida stronger but further from Algarve win; Oscar Onley praises INEOS tactics and quality

The final stage of the Volta ao Algarve delivered excitement and tested the GC contenders to the maximum. João Almeida and Oscar Onley weren't able to bring in the results they hoped for in the Alto do Malhão, but both of them have shown a very high level which is a great sign for the months to come.

"Yeah, today and the other days I maximized what I have. I felt pretty good in the race actually, so... Yeah, I think everything is on the right track," Almeida said in a post-race interview, not lamenting the lack of a stage win in his home country.

On the first ascent of the Alto do Malhão, 2.6 kilometers at 9%, the Portuguese tried to stir things up. "I was expecting a little bit of a higher pace from INEOS. And when I saw the pace was not high enough, I just went to the front and pulled by myself. Why not? I have nothing to lose, so... I think it was pretty good actually".

The move wasn't successful, but triggered other attacks, and the atritional race would favour him. However, on the final climb, he wasn't able to drop his main rivals. He finished third in the overall classification nevertheless and believes he is good in his current phase of the season.

"If I compare with last year, I think I'm much better, so I think that's a positive. Of course, these guys come from altitude and they look much, much better than me," he admits. "But yeah, I think I'm pretty good and I'll leave this race with confidence in my work and my shape. Paris-Nice is the next one, then Catalunya, and then the big one, the Giro".

On the final climb, Oscar Onley bet on his sprint to try and net his first win with INEOS Grenadiers. He seemed to do a perfect job, but the yellow jersey was right on his tail and had that extra little bit in the finishing straight to overtake him.

"Yeah, I knew the finish route is quite narrow. It can be quite hard to pass, so yeah, I just tried to open it up early. And I could feel Ayuso on my shoulder, on my hip, and yeah he was just stronger".

The Scottish climber could be happy with his performance, but also that of his teammates. "Overall, I'm really happy with the day, like, from the team. We were really active, and with Kevin [Vauquelin] it was a really good move, and that's exactly why I wanted to join this team, to play like this in these kind of races you know. I think maybe we don't have the strongest guy outright, but together with our strengths, then we can make things happen".

Onley rode to fourth in the overall classification, the same position he had on the Alto da Fóia. "Yeah, I think there's definitely some room for improvement. I know that I can, normally, improve just by doing a few races, so hopefully to improve already for Paris-Nice in a couple of weeks, and yeah, it's going well".