Riders top a jaw-dropping 118kph on Volta ao Algarve descent

Every year riders begin the season with clichés of how racing is becoming faster and faster, but on stage 1 of the Volta ao Algarve they probably had a point, with speeds touching almost 120kph on the second descent of the day.

Following the stage, several riders outside the Ineos Grenadiers team bus talked about the nature of the fast descent from the third-category climb at Nave, describing how they’d glanced down at their bike computers to see some incredible numbers.

Read more: Volta ao Algarve: Gerben Thijssen wins stage 1 in bunch sprint

A strong tailwind played its part, with the threat of cross-winds also ensuring that the pace remained at breakneck speeds as the race dipped back down to sea level and ran towards the coast.

On Thursday morning, Geraint Thomas took to social media and posted an Instagram story that showed that the former Tour de France winner had reached 116kph, with an average one-minute speed still in triple figures.

According to another Ineos rider, Kim Heiduk reached 118kph.

There were no noises of concern around safety from riders at the start of stage 2 and rider wellbeing was more focused on the potential high winds that could have consequences on the final climb to Fóia.

GCN spoke to EF Education-EasyPost rider Michael Valgren, who also notched a blistering speed on the descent. The Dane was one of many riders to wisely ease back and feather their brakes on the fastest section of road rather than risk everything to stay on the wheel in front.

“I’m 32 now so I’m getting a bit old, right? I was braking a little bit and doing about 108 or 109kph but I saw people going 117 and I thought that was insane,” Valgren told GCN.

“It was the second descent. I mean I know that our brakes have been tested but I don’t know if they’ve been tested at that speed.

“We’re riding with 170 riders next to us, and there might have been cross-winds but I wasn’t going to risk my life. So I just slipped to the back and gave myself a few metres of safety. There are some people who are crazy enough to want to go faster and it gives you a kick to go at 120kph but I just didn’t want to risk anything.”