The fourth edition of the Volta a Portugal Feminina concluded today with a poignant victory for India Grangier of Team Coop-Repsol, honouring the memory of her late teammate André Drege. The race came to a close with a minute of silence, as the peloton paid tribute to the men’s Coop-Repsol rider, finishing with a sombre yet inspiring tone for the competition. The final stage, a 12.2-kilometre individual time trial in Belém, Lisbon, saw the Swedish Coop-Repsol rider Stina Kagevi take the stage win in 16 minutes and 9 seconds.
Despite a challenging wind, Kagevi showcased her time trial pace, finishing 10 seconds ahead of Portugal’s Daniela Campos of Eneicat-CMTeam. Sigrid Ytterhus Haugset, also from Coop-Repsol, secured third place, just one second behind Campos.
Grangier’s triumph
Grangier, who wore the yellow jersey, finished 11th in the stage, 38 seconds behind Kagevi. She defended her overall lead despite being slower than her closest competitor, Titia Ryo of Arkéa-B&B Hotels. Winner of yesterday’s stage, Grangier’s final time gave her a narrow three-second victory over Ryo.
Reflecting on the victory, Grangier said, “It was a very tough weekend for the team. Today, we wanted to honour our colleague André Drege and gave our best. Personally, not being a time trial specialist, I gave it my all. I knew I was losing time in the second split but pushed hard in the last kilometre to hold onto the yellow jersey.”
Campos’ strong performance
Daniela Campos’ performance in the time trial elevated her to third place overall, finishing 10 seconds behind Grangier. “I am very pleased with my performance. A year ago, it seemed impossible to be in contention in a stage race. I am satisfied with the result and what it indicates for the future. I am a month away from my main goal of the year, the Olympics, and still have room to peak at the right time,” Campos stated.
The race also saw notable efforts from other riders. Ana Caramelo finished ninth in the time trial, securing her position as the best Portuguese rider in 13th place overall, 1 minute and 57 seconds behind Kagevi. Raquel Dias was recognised as the best junior rider.
Michaela Drummond from Arkéa-B&B Hotels claimed the points classification after 2 stage wins, while Grangier added the mountain classification jersey to her yellow jersey victory.
2024 Volta a Portugal Feminina stage 5 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
2024 Volta a Portugal Feminina GC result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
All photo credits: FPCiclismo.pt
