![\"FOIA,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/oBaDE2BTsj7kFg3tFMpxWJ.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\nRefresh <\/p>\n
2026-02-19T14:01:01.683Z<\/p>\n
A first look at some of the riders who have made it into the day’s break.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
2026-02-19T13:59:24.390Z<\/p>\n
The gap between the peloton and the break is no longer holding steady, but falling, down to 2:20.<\/p>\n
2026-02-19T13:57:53.861Z<\/p>\n
The first of the day\u2019s four climbs isn\u2019t too far away – the Picota. The road rises lightly for a few kilometres, before ramping up to 7.9% for the final 1.4km to the summit. It\u2019s the easiest of the day, and will be a chance for Contte to increase his lead in the KOM classification – or for another rider in the break to challenge him.<\/p>\n
2026-02-19T13:52:28.427Z<\/p>\n
The break’s lead has stopped growing, the peloton now working to make sure they keep it under control, but remains at a healthy lead of 3:30.<\/p>\n
120KM TO GO<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:47:30.431Z<\/p>\n The finishing climb of Alto da F\u00f3ia might be familiar from previous editions of Volta ao Algarve, including last year when Jan Christen and Jo\u00e3o Almeida sealed a UAE 1-2<\/a>, but this year the riders take it on from another side.<\/p>\n And it looks like it\u2019ll be a significantly harder route to the top, with a steeper average gradient, making this a stage for the real climbers.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:40:32.925Z<\/p>\n It\u2019s very relaxed in the peloton. They\u2019ve already allowed the break to build a lead of 3:40 – a bigger lead than at any point during yesterday’s stage.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:35:58.336Z<\/p>\n Incidentally, Castro Pinto is indeed back in the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:35:20.023Z<\/p>\n So we have our break of the day, and no dangerous GC rider has managed to slip into it. They will need a big lead ahead of such a tough final climb to stand a chance of surviving to contest for the stage win.<\/p>\n 130KM TO GO<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:33:17.663Z<\/p>\n Pedro Castro Pinto had tried to get into the break as a representative of the GI Group Holding – Simoldes – UDO team, but is dangling only a few seconds ahead of the bunch and is set to be reabsorbed.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:32:17.006Z<\/p>\n The peloton is happy with the make-up of this break – they’ve sat up and allowed them a lead of over two minutes.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:28:41.957Z<\/p>\n Those eight riders are:<\/p>\n Tomas Contte<\/p>\n Gorka Sorarrain<\/p>\n Enzo Leijnse<\/p>\n Iker Bonillo Martin<\/p>\n Nicolas Tivani<\/p>\n Leangel Linare<\/p>\n Hugo Nunes<\/p>\n Alexandre Montez<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:28:26.020Z<\/p>\n It’s actually a group of 8 rather than 9 who are up the road, but they’re growing their lead, now up to about 40 seconds.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:24:10.861Z<\/p>\n Some of the names from yesterday’s break are present again, including the King of the Mountains leader Tomas Contte.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:23:06.413Z<\/p>\n A group of nine currently leads the race, albeit only with a slender lead of about 10 seconds on the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:18:57.032Z<\/p>\n Our report on stage four of the UAE Tour.<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:14:46.172Z<\/p>\n The day\u2019s four official climbs come later in the stage, but the road from the start is still undulating, which could shape the kind of riders that form the day\u2019s break.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:12:41.093Z<\/p>\n And (at last) they’re off!<\/p>\n OFFICIAL START<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:10:10.916Z<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the cycling world, today\u2019s stage of the UAE Tour has just come to an exciting finish. We\u2019ll have a full report ready soon of how it went down.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:04:08.351Z<\/p>\n This is a long neutralised section – 9.8km in total – so we\u2019re still awaiting the flag to drop.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T13:00:22.646Z<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a glimpse of Portim\u00e3o, where the riders are making their way through the neutralised zone.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:56:03.724Z<\/p>\n Magnier alongside yesterday\u2019s runner-up, Jordi Meeus, prior to the unofficial start.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:50:23.094Z<\/p>\n The riders are mobile and making their way through the neutralised one, ahead of the official start.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:48:23.969Z<\/p>\n Paul Magnier at the start, resplendent in the leader’s yellow jersey.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:45:13.358Z<\/p>\n Some housekeeping from yesterday\u2019s stage – Santiago Mesa was relegated from 5th to 157th at the finish, having nearly caused Arnaud De Lie to crash, bumping the latter up to fifth.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:41:16.132Z<\/p>\n The summit finish will be Alto da F\u00f3ia, a mountain familiar from previous editions of the Volta ao Algarve as the destination of the second stage. Averaging 6.2% and lasting a lengthy 8.8km, it will be the toughest climb most of the riders competing have faced so far this season.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:34:46.986Z<\/p>\n Magnier won\u2019t remain in the leader\u2019s jersey by the end of the day, however. It might only be stage two, but the severity of the summit finish makes this the race\u2019s Queen Stage, which will prompt all of the GC hopefuls into action.<\/p>\n 2026-02-19T12:33:26.359Z<\/p>\n Paul Magnier wears the leader\u2019s jersey today after his excellent sprint finish yesterday, against an illustrious field of sprinters that also included Jasper Philipsen. It felt like a statement result from the young Frenchman, and a sign that his talent is blossoming yet more in this new season.<\/p>\n![\"PORTIMAO,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/64gikqTapfLvT32gPXd5Qk.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"PORTIMAO,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Xhu2jC39bhT2QAc4Q5Y2jG.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"PORTIMAO,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/7LkNfa2mwtgcy3raUF8wgA.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n