Given the quality of the field and the nature of yesterday’s final climb of Malhao, the success of Steve Cummings came as a surprise to many. The 29 year old beat Tejay Van Garderen (HTC-Highroad), Alberto Contador Velasco (Saxo Bank Sungard), Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) and Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad) to the line after these five were ahead of the scattered peloton on the steep drag up to the finish.
Cummings is not known as a climber of that calibre but rode with a lot of determination to grab the victory and to take over the general classification lead.
He’s lodged some strong performances in the past, including wins in the Coppa Bernocchi and a stage in the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, as well as second overall in both the Tour of Denmark and the Tour of Britain. However he’s clear that this is a new level for him.
“It's probably my best victory. When I won Coppa Bernocchi you could say it was a bigger race,” he stated, “but if you look at a few of the riders I beat today and how I beat them, then I think this is a bit different.”
The win was as a result of good team tactics, as Sky placed him perfectly before the start of the climb, and also his own stubbornness to keep fighting when the pressure was on.
“It had been a hard stage - a bit longer than advertised at around 190km and up and down all day - but at the Tour of the Med I made an attack and found my limits which was a big help today,” he explained. “I just set my own rhythm and knew that I could finish the climb strongly if I just held back a bit.”
That pacing payed off perfectly, and also made others a little less aware that he was a threat. “With around 800 metres to go I could see Contador and the leaders in front. I just went across to them, waited on the back and then went again with 200 metres to go.”
The victory is the first European win of the season for Sky Procycling, and follows on from the two stages grabbed by Ben Swift at the Tour Down Under. Last year was the first for the British ProTeam and it had what it now admits was an unbalanced emphasis on the Tour de France over other events. That race is still important, of course, but the team stated over the winter that it was also going to target big results in other events.
Taking the final overall classification in the Volta ao Algarve would be huge, of course, but with Contador just six seconds back, Martin ten seconds behind and Van Garderen just two seconds further adrift, Cummings knows that it will be a tough task. He’ll see how things go, though, taking a wait and see approach.
“It's all about taking it one day at a time,” he said yesterday. “We'll just concentrate on tomorrow and try and keep the jersey.”
The race continues today with a lumpy stage from Albufeira to Tavira. A bunch sprint is possible, and so the big decider is likely to be tomorrow’s 17.2 kilometre time trial to Portimão.
Whatever happens, though, Cummings has already shown he’s moved up a level, and looks set for a great season.