As expected, into the 4th day of the race, and on a stage unlike any of the previous ones, there were some significant changes on the results table at the finish line.

 

Fortunately for the racers the weather changed radically, starting overcast and ending warm and sunny, although still windy at some sections.

 

Vitor Gamito (POR) won the stage and kept the overall leadership. Kate Aardal (NOR) had a troubled day, with 3 flat tires, dropping to 12th position by the second control point (CP), but recovering towards the end, arriving at the finish line in 8th position.

 

Henry “Constant” Hayes (RSA) could not detach himself from the Portuguese duo formed by Marco Macedo (POR) and Rui Anjos (POR), who keep getting stronger day-by-day. Henry crossed the finish line in 5th, after Rui in 4th and Marco in 3rd. Christophe De Clercq (BEL) had his best day so far, arriving in 2nd, practically together with Marco.

 

Despite another great stage, Marco suffered a serious setback today in terms of general results, as he received a 2h30m time penalty due to GPS misuse, throwing him back to the 11th place in the general results after this stage.

 

Daniel Hoedemaekers (NED) had a happy comeback after not finishing yesterday, arriving in 6th, his best position so far. Similarly Mireille Montminy (CAN), off yesterday rode strong today, passing 9th at the third CP and finishing in 14th.

 

Kaj Slenter (NED), a top 10 until now, could not take part of today's stage. It seems that yesterday's problem with his knees, high in Serra da Estrela, got worse. Most surely he won’t be at tomorrow’s stage either. Also Toru Watanabe (JPN) didn’t race today, exhausted from the previous stages, but most probably will be back on the race tomorrow.

 

Carlos Ferreira (POR) suffered a bad fall and badly injured his wrist. Marco Gomez (MEX) didn’t finish the stage and has decided to leave the race, complaining from a very sore knee, but he commented he’ll surely be back next year to finish it.

 

4th STAGE TOP 10:

 

- 1st Vitor Gamito (POR)

- 2nd Christophe De Clercq (BEL)

- 3rd Marco Macedo (POR)

- 4th Rui Anjos (POR)

- 5th Henry Hayes (RSA)

- 6th Daniel Hoedemaekers (NED)

- 7th João Mesquita (POR)

- 8th Kate Aardal (NOR)

- 9th Gonçalo Correia (POR)

- 10th Nuno Campos (POR)

 

FINAL TOP 3 AFTER 4TH STAGE:

 

- 1st Vitor Gamito (POR), 21h35m55s

- 2nd Rui Anjos (POR), 1h58m36s dif.

- 3rd Kate Aardal (NOR), 2h01m34s dif.

 

DAY 5 – MONFORTINHO TO CASTELO DE VIDE

 

On tomorrow’s long stage (144km / 2618m total climbs), the longest until now, TransPortugal Garmin Race will be crossing the River Tagus (or Tejo), the classical divider between North and South in Portugal. It’s not by chance that the land stretching south from this river all the way to the Algarve is called just Alentejo, or beyond Tejo. A drier world all together, and also warmer.

 

The stage will honor the big river, featuring breathtaking views over the last narrow section of its flow, afterwards becoming an expansive and flat river until it meets the sea in Lisbon. The mighty cliffs at Vila Velha de Rodão also mark the beginning of a 40km climbing section, steepest at the very end, of tomorrow’s stage.

 

Before that, mainly fast and rolling sections can make for a very competitive stage, where the flat runners can have an advantage. That’s when TransPortugal Garmin Race crosses some very remote sections of the International Tagus Natural Park, dotted with river crossings.Altogether a different scenery and stage.

 

Castelo de Vide, at the end, can be considered one of the nicest villages visited by the race so far. TransPortugal Garmin Race will rest right at the heart of this beautiful historic place.