Adam de Vos pulls on first blue KOM jersey at Volta ao Algarve

Canadian Adam de Vos of Rally Cycling took the first King of the Mountains jersey in Wednesday’s opening act of the 43rd Volta ao Algarve in Portugal. De Vos was part of a five-man move that shuffled off early in the stage.

De Vos lipped over the Cat. 3 Sitio da Picota climb which peaked just 22.5-km into the stage. It was the only categorized climb on the 182.9-km route from Albufeira to Lagos. De Vos went back to the peloton before the intermediate sprints began.

Canadian De Vos (23y) is now the virtual leader of mountains classification (Blue Jersey Liberty Seguros). #valgarve2017

— Volta ao Algarve (@VAlgarve2020) February 15, 2017

Rally has three Canadians at the Portuguese race: de Vos, Matteo Dal-Cin and Rob Britton.

This is the second participation of team Rally cycling in Algarve. #Valgarve2017 pic.twitter.com/tpauorHtPH

— Volta ao Algarve (@VAlgarve2020) February 15, 2017

Bora-Hansgrohe’s Christoph Pfingsten (Germany) ripped through the first two intermediate sprints in the lead. But with a profile suited for sprinters, there wasn’t much chance of the remaining quintet surviving. With 23-km remaining, it was scooped up.

In the bunch sprint, Quick Step’s Colombian fast man Fernando Gaviria took his third victory of the season, beating out Andre Greipel and Nacer Bouhanni.

Britton was top Canadian in 81st.

Thursday’s stage sees the riders tackle a Cat. 1 summit finish.

2017 Volta ao Algarve Stage 1
1) Fernando Gaviria (Colombia/Quick Step) 4:28:31
2) Andre Greipel (Germany/Lotto-Soudal) s.t.
3) Nacer Bouhanni (France/Cofidis) s.t.
82) Rob Britton (Canada/Rally Cycling) s.t.
114) Matteo Dal-Cin (Canada/Rally Cycling) s.t.
188) Adam de Vos (Canada/Rally Cycling) +2:17