"We had very strong rivals" - Daniel Martínez explodes out of Remco Evenepoel's wheel to make his title defense bid at Volta ao Algarve
Cycling
Daniel Martínez won the Volta ao Algarve last year but then had a very absent season from action. His move towards BORA - hansgrohe had mixed reactions, but the Colombian has struck hard today in Portugal and directly beat Remco Evenepoel to victory.
"We had very strong rivals, we did a strong work in the finale and the sprint. I had good legs... Today was an important day, I had good legs and I hope to have them too in the next days," Martínez said in a post-race interview.
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An impressive triumph, Soudal - Quick-Step took responsibility over the peloton in the last hour of racing and set up Remco Evenepoel for a reduced group sprint at the Alto da Fóia. Not even the bad weather could split the race to bits beforehand, but the work of James Knox and Mikel Landa in the ascent dropped the fast men that could benefit from a group finish.
Evenepoel launched an early sprint but Martínez, the Colombian time-trial champion, had the upper hand. He jumps to the race lead ahead of Evenepoel. He won't have an easy job protecting the lead in the upcoming time-trial, but also tomorrow in what should be a tense sprint finish - as Jordi Meeus will attempt to take the win. "Yesterday Marco {Haller] fell, and today Alex [Hajek] abandoned... I believe we will fight for the win 100%."
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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.
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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)...
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
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