Volta ao Algarve 2014 - Stage 3

The third stage of the Volta ao Algarve was the race's time trial. It was a relatively flat 13.6 kilometre race against the clock, and was expected to suit the specialists in the discipline such as Tony Martin, Adriano Malori, and Britain's Alex Dowsett. It was also going to be interesting to see how Alberto Contador would go, as he dismissed the Tour of Oman to return to the Algarve in 2014.

The man who actually went on to win the stage was not Tony Martin, but his Polish teammate Michal Kwiatkowski. That makes it two-in-two for the man who has had an impressive start to the season in Portugal. He beat his teammate world time trial champion Tony Martin, an impressive scalp, as the German came third. 

It is likely that the fast nature of the course didn't allow for the German to put his power down, something he is renowned for. Adriano Malori was the man who was between Kwiatkowski and Martin on the podium, coming eleven seconds short of the race leader. A man who put in an impressive ride was Alberto Contador, the two-time champion in Algarve now sits second on the general classification.

Alex Dowsett came fifth on the race, backing up his teammate Malori. Kwiatkowski now has thirty two seconds over Alberto Contador going into tomorrow's summit finish, where it is likely the race's general classification will be decided. Although the summit finish isn't comparable to those that grace the Alps and the Pyrenees in the Tour de France, it is still likely that Contador and Rui Costa will be attacking the Polish rider.

Keep it Lanterne Rouge to see what happens!