The opening stage of the Tour of Algarve ended in disarray on Wednesday after most of the peloton followed the wrong road near the finish, prompting organizers to cancel the stage results.
The confusion unfolded just before the final straight in Lagos, Portugal, when the lead car mistakenly took the wrong side of a roundabout barrier. The majority of the riders followed the vehicle, deviating from the official race route and leaving spectators stunned as the peloton split into two separate groups.
Italy’s Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers avoided the error and continued along the correct path. With no competition in sight, he crossed the finish line unchallenged and raised his arms in victory.
“I knew the route and followed it,” Ganna told Eurosport. “In the past, I lost a time trial because I went the wrong way. This time, I got it right and I won.”
But Ganna’s celebration was short-lived.
No podium ceremony followed. The stage’s 192.2-kilometer route from Portimão to Lagos was ultimately nullified. The finish line area remained quiet, and fans were left without a result.
Organizers confirmed the situation in a statement, explaining that “a large number of the riders took the wrong route, followed the detour of the support cars, and missed the official finish line.”
Race director Sergio Sousa said the College of Commissaires ruled that “sporting truth did not prevail,” leading to the decision to cancel the stage.
As a result, the general classification has been reset. The race will resume Thursday with stage two, starting fresh with no time gaps carried over.
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