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![Sergio Pardilla Retains Race Lead In
Portugal
Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung successfully defended Sergio Pardilla’s race lead during stage 5 of the Volta
a Portugal. The race profile lent itself to a bunch sprint and although that’s how the day turned out, it didn’t look
that way with less than an hour to race. Early in the day eight riders escaped and it looked like a standard
transition stage.
However, that group swelled to 19 later on and contained several riders from the LA Alumínios – Antarte team. Naturally, they were motivated to keep the pace high. With 35 kiolmetres to go, the gap was 1’21” with Team
MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung frantically leading they chase. The African team was aided by Caja Rural who was
trying to set things up for sprinter Manuel Cardoso.
“The other riders attacked us the whole day and it was very difficult to control but the team is unbelievable,”
Pardilla said. “The guys did a very good job. I can’t thank them enough and I couldn’t ask for more. Tomorrow
we’ll recovery and hopefully sleep for long. Wednesday is a new stage. We don’t know how hard it will be but
we’ll defend the jersey again and try to control things. Thursday is the next mountain stage so the job is to get
there safely again.”
It took a major effort from the two allied teams and eventually the move was nuetralised with 5 kilometres to go.
The run in to the finish was technical and several opportunists tried going off the front but it was Cardoso who
repaid his team for their efforts when he sprinted to victory by several bike lengths. Pardilla rolled across the line
safely in 14th to protect his race lead.
“We’re very happy to defend the jersey. It’s brought the team together because we had to work as a team with
one goal. They’re not making it easy for us here. 19 guys attacked and we had to chase very hard. We were
lucky to get help from Caja Rural who had the interest of the stage win. We couldn’t focus on the stage win as it’s
too hard to do that and defend the jersey. We needed Gerald [Ciolek] to help in the chase too,” sports director,
Jens Zemke.
While Tuesday is a rest day, Stage 6 is 180 kilometres long from Sertã to Castelo Branco. It should be another
day for the sprinters while the mountain men will have their next showdown on stage 7.
DStv viewers can watch the race on channel 435 from 5pm daily.
Race information: www.volta-portugal.com
Volta a Portugal (Portugal) – (August 7-18 / UCI 2.1): Dennis van Niekerk (RSA), Ferekalsi Debesay (ERI),
Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU), Gerald Ciolek (GER), Jaco Venter (RSA), Jay Thomson](tour portugal.jpg)
![Sergio Pardilla Victorious On
Mountaintop Finish
Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung conquered the first mountain stage of the Volta a Portugal on Sunday when
Sergio Pardilla earned his first victory for the team. With two kilometres to go, the Spaniard attacked what was
left of the lead group to cross the line solo in Mondim de Basto. Africa’s first Professional Continental team came
into the race stating its objectives of a stage victory and a high placing in the general classification. Pardilla’s ride
was a big step in achieving this as he also moved into the race leader’s yellow jersey. “I am very happy,” Pardilla said after the victory. “I am feeling very strong and I am happy we could have a goodrace today. The team was fantastic this whole week so far. After Tour of Austria I had a week of recovery beforefocusing on Volta a Portugal. I went to altitude training for a few weeks to prepare for the race and my feelingswere immediately very good so I was hoping for a good race here. I am happy we could get this result and I amfocused on finishing it off strongly for the team.”The team was in the thick of the action all day as Jay Thomson made the day’s escape for the second timeduring the race. Halfway through the stage he got caught by the peloton and Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsungturned its focus to making sure the rest of the escape didn’t make it to the end.“The plan was 100% for Sergio,” sports director, Jens Zemke revealed. “We wanted to protect him and makesure he didn’t lose any energy he didn’t have to. The whole team rode really well and it paid off in the end. Closeto the end of the stage Ignas [Konovalovs] was chasing down the leading group and Sergio had great legs in theend to attack."Winning the stage and moving into the race lead in Portugal was not the only success of the day for Africancycling as Team Principal, Douglas Ryder reveals.“What a day in the development of African cycling with the whole team working for Sergio on the mountain topfinish in Volta a Portugal. We had Dennis van Niekerk, Ferekalsi Debesay and Ignatas Konovalovas there untilnear the end doing all they could and Sergio finishing it off with an incredibly well timed attack with twokilometres to go and taking the stage and the yellow jersey. It is a great victory for the team and for Sergio butour fantastic day does not end there as our World Cycling Centre Africa feeder team also won in South Africa inthe Clover Lowveld Tour where Bonaventure Uwizeyimana from Rwanda won the final stage. Not to be outdone,Costa Seibib from Namibia also won the GP Zurich in Switzerland. The incredible support from our sponsorsover the years and hard work from the staff and riders is paying off across multiple levels, Africa is going to be apart of cycling’s future,” he concluded.Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung is in its debut season as a Professional Continental team. Today's successmarks the team's twelfth victory of the year.DStv viewers can watch the Volta a Portugal on channel 435 from 5pm daily.](qubenka giro portogallo.jpg)
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