"You never quite know what’s going to happen": Young British talent thrives in Volta ao Algarve chaos to finish top-10 on Fóia
Cycling
Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team has been in the center of attention this past winter thanks to its transfer activity which saw climbers Eddie Dunbar, Chris Harper and Tom Gloag join the Swiss ProTeam in a hunt for top placings on the UCI ranking. Next to the other signings, Gloag stands out as a long-term investment from team - one that already started to pay off during a season debut in Portugal where the 24-year-old scored his second top-10 result within a week on the Fóia climb at the end of Volta ao Algarve stage 2.
"I’ve had a really nice time so far. I’ve not done many one-day races the last few years, so it was really nice to give that a stab the other day, and yeah, the legs were good, and I’m looking forward to racing here," Gloag told Domestique before the stage, looking back at his 10th place from Figuiera Champions Classic.
After four seasons with Visma | Lease a Bike, Gloag made a step into unknown by joining a new team, however not as much as it would seem since he was familiar with many of his new teammates:
"I knew Tom [Pidcock] from Trinity in 2020, and Fred [Wright] I grew up riding with in London, and actually, like Joe [Pidcock], Mark [Donovan] I also knew as well, so yeah, the switch has been pretty seamless, and it’s really nice," said Gloag. "We’ve got a really nice group of guys also here as well, really good talk around the dinner table and yeah, a super relaxed atmosphere."
Unpredictable first days of the season
Prior to Algarve, Gloag voiced that the second stage could very well fit his nature, and that was supported by his performance on the day as the Brit arrived 10th, in a group of Kévin Vauquelin and Florian Lipowitz among others at 29 seconds from stage winner Paul Seixas. A lovely result for Gloag for whom it's a reassurement of his talent after years of health struggles.
"Always with the first few races, you never quite know what’s going to happen, and it’s a super high level here. So it will be a tough week and competitive, but we will give it a go."
Tenth overall, Gloag will be among the last on the starting ramp during Friday's individual time trial on a 20-kilometer course. The general classification will be inevitably shaken up, but Gloag hopes to remain in a good position with Alto de Malhao on Sunday in mind.
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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