Welcome to the Portuguese National Road Race Championship 193 riders start the race, of those 31 MGUCI professionals.
Start list (only professionals):
Spoiler
Carlos Baltazar
Andorra Cycling Project
Amaro Antunes
Berg Cycles
Bruno Santos
Berg Cycles
Daniel Eduardo Silva
Berg Cycles
Fabio Silvestre
Berg Cycles
Jóni Brandao
Berg Cycles
Marcio Portela
Berg Cycles
Mario Costa
Berg Cycles
Pedro Miguel Paulinho
Berg Cycles
Ricardo Vilela
Berg Cycles
Rui Costa
Berg Cycles
Jose Mendes
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
Samuel Caldeira
Grieg - Eftel
Rafael Silva
Hugo Boss
Jaoa Costa
Philips - Continental
Antonio Carvalho
Porto - Prio
Bruno Borges
Porto - Prio
Bruno Silva
Porto - Prio
Domingos Gonçalves
Porto - Prio
Frederico Figueiredo
Porto - Prio
Lionel Coutinho
Porto - Prio
Luis Afonso
Porto - Prio
Nelson Oliveira
Porto - Prio
Óscar Avelino
Porto - Prio
Rafael Reis
Porto - Prio
Ricardo Ferreira
Porto - Prio
Rui Pedro Vinhas
Porto - Prio
Tiago Machado
Porto - Prio
Nuno Bico
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
Vitor Rodrigues
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
Jose Goncalves
Team UBS
Preview:
Tiago Machado a very clear favorite to take this championship, hard to see anyone able to challenge him honestly.
Closest rival would be Rafael Reis or maybe Rui Pedro Vinhas
Hard to imagine that Porto – Prio could miss this win, but if anyone can do it, it must be Rodrigues.
There are other fine climbers in the race Antunes, Baltazar, Silva and Silva but bronze would be a very hard fight for those with this profile and competition.
The Race:
We start the stage with clouds hanging low over the mountains and falling snow.
A few attempts to break away are closed down quickly. The peloton hits first the hard slopes all together. Then selection starts from the back, the first group get thinner and thinner closing in on the first top.
24 riders in front over the top 27.5 km to go.
It has been Porto – Prio leading the first group over the peak, but as the group enters the 2nd hard climb first Vilela and later Baltazar sets the pace, probably trying to reduce Porto – Prio’s quantitative dominance.
17 km to the line.
The group is slowly reduced to 15 riders, the strongest names dropped are Costa, Costa, Costa and Brandão
With 10 km to the top Machado attacks, Rodrigues quick to take his wheel.
9 km left Machado attacks again trying to shake of Rodrigues
At 35” Reis has attacked the main group.
At 56” 9 riders, with Vinhas, Silva, Antunes, Baltazar and Paulinho
The Pace set by Machado was too high for Rodrigues, the distance constantly growing, and soon he is also caught and distanced by Reis
Getting closer to the 5 km banner also Figueiredo and Vinhas closing in on Rodrigues
They have distanced the next group with 56”, looks like it is those 5 riders to fight for medals.
Machado has all the time needed for a prober celebration, Reis (2nd) just visible under the red kite.
The fight for bronze a lot closer, Rodrigues with a short last minute sprint able to reach the line first, to prevent a Porto – Prio triple.
Result:
(those are the only riders to make it inside time limit)
Welcome back to the Portuguese National Championships, now with the ITT
Start list:
Spoiler
Carlos Baltazar
Andorra Cycling Project
Amaro Antunes
Berg Cycles
Bruno Santos
Berg Cycles
Daniel Eduardo Silva
Berg Cycles
Fabio Silvestre
Berg Cycles
Jóni Brandao
Berg Cycles
Marcio Portela
Berg Cycles
Mario Costa
Berg Cycles
Pedro Miguel Paulinho
Berg Cycles
Ricardo Vilela
Berg Cycles
Rui Costa
Berg Cycles
Jose Mendes
Carlsberg - Danske Bank
Samuel Caldeira
Grieg - Eftel
Rafael Silva
Hugo Boss
Jaoa Costa
Philips - Continental
Antonio Carvalho
Porto - Prio
Bruno Borges
Porto - Prio
Bruno Silva
Porto - Prio
Domingos Gonçalves
Porto - Prio
Frederico Figueiredo
Porto - Prio
Lionel Coutinho
Porto - Prio
Luis Afonso
Porto - Prio
Nelson Oliveira
Porto - Prio
Óscar Avelino
Porto - Prio
Rafael Reis
Porto - Prio
Ricardo Ferreira
Porto - Prio
Rui Pedro Vinhas
Porto - Prio
Tiago Machado
Porto - Prio
Nuno Bico
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
Vitor Rodrigues
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
Jose Goncalves
Team UBS
Preview:
As I see it, we got 3 top favorites to take this win. Jose Goncalves and Nelson Oliveira the fastest tempo riders, but Rafael Reis resistance just might make up for that on a long time trail like this one.
Another podium candidate should be Rui Costa, might even do for gold on the right day.
Other medal contenders could be Domingos Gonçalves, yesterday winner Tiago Machado or Fabio Silvestre, but for those I think gold is very unlikely.
The Race:
The very first rider on the course today is Vilela, being a bookmaker top 10 favorite, he should set a time, showing the time level under today’s conditions, which is a 14-20 km/h head/side wind. 1h09’40
Vilela’s teammate Silva setting new best sector times, and he comes in with a new best 1h08’42” 47” faster, either this is a super time from Silva or Vilela had a pretty bad ride.
Road Race winner Machado comes in 2nd, just 1” behind Silva
Just the 6th rider starting Domingos Gonçalves, sets new best times in all sector; new best with 1h08’28”, 13” faster than Silva
Figueiredo 5th +1’28” Silvestre 5th +1’19”
Then new best Reis 1h08’17” 10” faster.
Top bookmaker favorite Jose Goncalves 3rd at +15”, very disappointing as a good time from Oliveira will now have Goncalves leave the Nationals without a medal.
As a contrast to Goncalves, Oliveira is very fast, setting new best in all sectors, with 1h07’13” he claims the national ITT championship, 1’04” faster than Reis.
Portuguese National RR Championship 
