Cummings seventh overall in Algarve as Martin blitzes TT

Steve Cummings wins stage three and takes lead, Tour of the Algarve 2011

Britain's Steve Cummings (Team Sky) failed to defend his overall lead in the 2011 Tour of the Algarve in Portugal as German Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad) won the final time trial and leapt to the top of the table.

Stage three winner Cummings had his hopes of a good final stage ride dashed during yesterday's racing when he suffered minor injuries as the result of a crash. Cummings rode as hard as he could today, but trailed stage winner and overall victor Martin by just over a minute.

Cummings finished seventh on general classification, by no means a disappointment for the Wirral man.

Tour of the Algarve 2009 and 2010 winner Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) - making his return to racing after the Spanish Cycling Federation cleared him of doping charges - also failed to make an impression in the final test against the clock. He went into the stage second overall behind Cummings but finished up fourth - any controversy of a 'comeback' win was put to one side.

Related links

Cummings wins stage three of Tour of the Algarve

Contador now cleared of clenbuterol charges

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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.