Portuguese cyclist Rafael Reis (Glassdrive-Q8-Anicolor) will wear the yellow again today, in the fourth stage of the 84th Volta a Portugal, in another hot day and with a predictable sprint finish.
First yellow jersey of this edition, the 31-year-old runner regained the lead of the general on Saturday, in the third stage, and leaves for the 184.5 kilometers between Estremoz and Castelo Branco with two seconds of advantage over João Matias (Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua) and four over the German Lukas Meiler (Voralberg), respectively second and third.
On the eve of the climb to the Tower, Reis should lose the yellow again, since the arrival at Avenida Nuno Álvares, scheduled for 17:26, is traditionally the scene of the sprinters’ party, as happened last year, when Matias won there.
But before they get there, the cyclists will find two flywheels, in Alter do Chão and Portalegre, located respectively at 52.1 and 86.4 kilometers, which will distribute the first bonus seconds.
Before crossing the last intermediate sprint of the day, in Vila Velha de Ródão (154.6), the peloton climbs Monte Paleiros (94.1) and Serra de São Miguel (148.5), both classified as third category, the same categorization attributed to Retaxo, located at kilometer 171.3.
