7TH FOR JULE, 6TH FOR AWEN – STANDOUT STAGE RESULTS IN PORTUGAL.

It’s been a fickle, turbulent Volta a Portugal Feminina for CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto Generation, with the high point coming early – Jule Märkl’s superb seventh place in a frantic bunch sprint on stage one.

“I had the legs to go for the podium,” Jule said afterward, still processing a chaotic finale that saw her boxed in and unable to fully unleash her sprint – despite being right in the thick of the action.

Nevertheless, a commendable result, but one that was bitterly contrasted by a heavy crash involving WorldTeam rider and race reference point, Wilma Aintila, during the final chaotic kilometres before the finish. Although Wilma completed the stage, she did not start stage two as a precaution against concussion.

The two lightly hilly stages that followed were tough for the remaining four riders – Jule, Awen Roberts, Diane Ingabire and Emily Dixon. They struggled to size up against the bigger, more experienced teams who were able to field seven riders. Too many matches were burned trying to follow every promising-looking move, leaving little firepower to respond when the race-defining attacks actually went. Awen was particularly gutted to miss the decisive split on yesterday’s final climb by just a few percent – the difference between contesting the victory and finishing +1.24 mins in arrears.

All the same, four weary yet undeterred riders rolled out for stage four, which featured the first truly definitive general classification obstacles: two back-to-back QOM climbs in the final 30km – Fonte da Carvalha and Alto do Andrade. Both were 4km at around 5%, followed by 10km of gradual descending, although the latter climb featured pinches exceeding 12%. From the crest of the second ascent, it was a clean run all the way down to the finish.

In a strong display of resilience and mental grit, Awen clung firmly to the front of affairs and contested a similarly-sized bunch sprint to the one she’d narrowly missed the day before. While the win went to a superb solo move by Liechti (Nexetis), Awen crossed the line in a brilliant sixth place after a leg-sapping 200m uphill drag to the finish – a punchy effort perfectly suited to her climbing style.

Her approach to the toughest part of the day was simple, but clearly effective:

“In my head, I was saying, shut up legs because we were on the steepest part, and I was determined not to get dropped. Mentally, I also stayed more positive today – when they started to make it hurt, I just said to myself, ‘it’s only temporary and when you’re over this bit, you can relax.’”

Although sixth place is a tremendous result, Awen’s strong inner drive meant there was still a tinge of frustration, especially after finishing just a wheel-length behind third.

“I am really pleased, because I was there at the end, but you always want more – especially with how hard the team works. You want to finish it off with a podium.”

Burying the disappointment of stages two and three beneath the satisfaction of a near-podium marks a mini breakthrough for both Awen and the team – a well-earned reward for staying committed and learning the hard way, day by day.

“I think we can take a lot of confidence from today. As a team, we can make something special tomorrow and hopefully get a podium.”

The fighting four now head into Sunday’s final stage on the outskirts of Lisbon with renewed motivation – eyeing a promising parcours featuring another short, uphill finish well-suited to Awen. She’s more determined than ever to keep chasing the team’s goal of a top-three result – the same target that Jule had in her sights back on stage one.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Stage 5 | Sunday, July 6 | Marvila (Lisboa) – Póvoa de Santa Iria | 89km | 1185m elevation | Start: 10:00 – Fastest finish: 12:43 WEST.

While there won’t be full live coverage, daily summaries are available on SportTV and RTP2. Stay updated on X via #VoltaPortugalFemenina, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto’s social channels for the latest team updates.