STAGE 3: Sur - Sur 144 KM's

Stage Favourites:
***Howard(CRC) **Ciolek(AGS) *Ponzi(DTS)

On this stage a two man break got away again, Kochetkov was out again this time joined by South Korean man Jang, showing the great diversity of nationalities in this peloton.

With 14 kilometres to go, as the rain started trickling down, the break was caught. Immediately four riders launch a counter attack they are, Ignatiev, Aru, Pantano and our very own Larsson. They never look to threaten for the win and are caught sharpish ahead of the sprint.

In a real close, tightly contested, sprint finish Boivin (Cyclevox) was victorious. There really are a number of riders capable of winning in the sprints here. Rojas looked very fast but was never in the greatest positions, but finishes inside the top5.

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Update: Tour of Algarve

Stage 2: Lagoa - Lagos 180 KM's

The team did a great job according to Freire on stage 2, defending the jersey well. Clarke didn't look majorly troubled and the organisers were very lenient with the peloton by giving riders 22nd position and downwards the same time as the group of 21 who crossed the line first.

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STAGE 4: Sultan Qaboos - Jabal al Akhdar 155 KM's

Stage Favourites:
***Pinot(KAT) **Van Den Broek(DVE) *Locatelli(FVI)

The mountain top finish will be the test for the those capable of winning GC here.

A 12 man break got away but were never allowed to get much distance, the leader's team Chain Rection Cycles took up much of the chase. Both Howard and Boivin attacked shortly before the final climb with 8 kilometres to go. The final climbs starts with all riders together.

Gomez (Dukla) is the first to attack on the final climb but many riders are capable of following. Locatelli (Farnese Vini) then puts in an attack.

Locatelli looked the strongest and takes the win and GC lead. Rojas did well to survive the steep parts and finishes in the top 10 and still has an outside chance at an overall podium.

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Update: Tour of the Algarve

STAGE 3: Tavira - Alto do Malhao 166 KM's

With just under 3000 meters of climbing this was the GC deciding stage of the tour. Could we keep the yellow jersey?

Deep into the hard stage Clarke was riding out of his skin. He was in the lead group of 11 lead on by American Express. With 15 kilometres to go Duarte (Accent Jobs) bridges across with 20 or so riders to form a larger group. Vanendert and some big names attack, Clarke tries but struggles to go with some of the attacks.

Into the last 2 kilometres and the steep slopes up to Malhao begin, can Clarke hang on?

He just looses out by '4 seconds to Contador on GC, American Express D.S Hincapie got the tactics right for them. Our man Freire was furious with the organisers for not acknowledging the gap on stage 2, which would have seen Contador and Vanendert a further 20 seconds down maybe. A brilliant ride by Clarke nevertheless, Izagirre crashed after being dropped but looks okay.

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STAGE 5: Al Jissah - Al Jissah 19 KM's

Stage Favourites:
***Kristskiy(QOS) **Meyer(DTS) *Pinot(KAT)

We had the stage favourite Kritskiy and he was on a good day. He beats Ignatiev by '10 at checkpoint 1, by '15 at checkpoint 2 and he finishes a good forty five seconds faster for provisional first place. He personified power as he rode around in the Russian NC. But there were still quality riders to come out.

Meyer (Dual Temp) looked great he was down '7 on Kritskiy at checkpoint 1 but cut the arrears to '4 at checkpoint 2 ...... but he would finish 20 seconds down as Kritskiy tackled the latter part of the course more dominantly.

The GC riders set off. Kvachuk sets the fastest time at checkpoint 1 and Amador sets the fastest time at checkpoint 2, could they take the lead from Kritskiy?

No they couldn't, stage win for Qatar Optics, TT no.2 for Kritskiy this season. The 'TT specialists' proving to be too strong in the second half of the course which was flatter terrain. Locatelli hangs on to his GC lead for Farnese Vini and Rojas maintains his top 10 place.

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