"In a long sprint I can hold my power quite well" - António Morgado on Figueira Champions Classic win
Cycling
António Morgado has taken his second consecutive victory at the Figueira Champions Classic. The UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider won under different circumstances than last year, however his spotless performance saw him be the strongest on the day once again.
Since starting his season, he hadn't finished worst than eighth in any race. The Portuguese rider maintains that position with six one-day races already in his schedule. Coming into his home country, he was seen as one of the main favourites at the Figueira Champions Classic, a race where endurance doesn't play a role, but the ability to go through small climbs and having a strong sprint does.
This is ultimately what earned him the win. "I'm thrilled to take the win here in Portugal. The team was phenomenal - the strength and way they worked was impressive, we are lucky to have a group this strong and motivated". It was truly a collective victory, conquered not only due to the 22-year old's power, but the tactical use of Brandon McNulty, who attacked on the penultimate lap to make the race hard; and then in the final lap fully put himself in service of Morgado.
Perfect sprint to take the win
There was a lot of confidence deposited on the defending champion, in a group of several riders. UAE had the numbers, but didn't use them to attack. Instead, the full focus was to lead the group into the final climb where Morgado was indeed able to make the difference. An explosive attack saw only Alex Aranburu be able to follow.
"I knew Aranburu had a good finish but that in a long sprint I can hold my power quite well and in the end it counted. This is a special race for me especially since I won it last year," he described. In a long and flat sprint, he took his eighth pro win, in Figueira da Foz. "To already take my second win of the year is amazing and I hope we can continue like this as we head into the Volta Algarve."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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