SABGAL ANICOLOR WINNER OF THE VOLTA A PORTUGAL 2024

Artem Nych of the Sabgal / Anicolor professional cycling team is the big winner of the 85th edition of the Volta a Portugal. The rider clinched the race today with victory in the final individual time trial in Viseu, the biggest achievement of his career so far.

Viseu hosted on Sunday the start and finish of the individual time trial that ended the 85th Volta a Portugal. Julius Johansen was the first rider of the team to descend the ramp for the 26.6 kilometre individual time trial, which he completed in 34m39s. He immediately took the lead and Artem Nych was the only one to lower this time, stopping the clock 03 seconds earlier.

A final Volta a Portugal podium was taken by Sabgal / Anicolor in the first two positions, with Artem Nych winning stage 10 and Julius Johansen 2nd in the time trial. Rafael Reis, meanwhile, took 38 seconds more than the winner and finished 4th on the day.

Artem Nych, the Russian cyclist known for riding in the peloton with the neutral (white) flag.

His height of 1.93 metres does not go unnoticed. The good results he brought with him when he arrived on the WorldTour calendar suggested that he was going to do great things. Already in 2023 he wore the yellow jersey in the Volta a Portugal, after finishing the 6th stage in 2nd position, in a thrilling finish in Guarda. This year he won the 6th stage, finishing in Boticas, and gave a brilliant performance on the summit of Senhora da Graça, which led him to turn the general classification around.

‘The victory was very important for the team and for my career. I am very happy to have won this Tour after such a difficult start. Last year we didn't make it, but this year it was possible’, Artem Nych.

Rúben Pereira, sports director of Sabgal / Anicolor tells us in first person what he experienced in this exciting edition of the Volta a Portugal:

"It's an inexplicable feeling. Winning with Artem Nych was something very special. The five team-mates who were with him experienced this victory with him. At the end of stage 1, which finished at the Vila Nova Observatory, I said that he was capable of doing much more than he did that day. We knew that this Tour of Portugal was going to be tough. But it has a very special flavour because of the journey of Artem Nych, who had contacts with the WorldTour, but also had the misfortune of being left without a team, suffering the instability that we know affects Russian athletes. He has been away from home for two years, but he is a champion. Artem is the best sprinter in the peloton, he rides well, without pressure. We've had a lot of adversity in this Tour, but together we've managed to turn it around".