Ethan Hayter holds on to Volta ao Algarve lead as Kasper Asgreen wins stage four time trial
The British rider remained in the overall lead despite crashing on the 20km time trial
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter
Kasper Asgreen continued his claim to being one of 2021’s standout riders with victory on stage four of the Volta ao Algarve.
The Danish rider won the race’s only time trial by three seconds from Portugal rider Rafael Reis, with Frenchman Benjamin Thomas in third.
It is the third victory of the season for Deceuninck-Quick-Step’s Asgreen and comes a month after he triumphed at the Tour of Flanders.
Overnight race leader Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) was expected to be one of the main challengers for the stage victory and appeared to be on target for a second win of the week, but the Briton fell hard midway through his effort.
Nevertheless, Hayter kept hold of the leader’s jersey and will hope to do so again in Sunday’s final stage.
How it happened
Covering just over 20km, and starting and finishing in Lagoa, the route was a tester’s undulating circuit with four small ascents and descents.
Benjamin Thomas, one of the favourites for the win, started early and posted the fastest time of 24-01, a huge 67 seconds faster than the previous hot seat incumbent and his Groupama-FDJ team-mate Clément Davy.
Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) came within 28 seconds of Thomas’ time shortly after, but it wasn’t until Reis set off that anyone came close to bettering Thomas.
Reis, riding for the Continental team Efapel, finished six seconds ahead of Thomas and watched on as an unfancied leader of the time trial.
More of the pre-race favourites soon began, including Asgreen, and despite posting a third-best time at the second checkpoint, the Dane clawed back in the final kilometres to finish three seconds better than Reis’ 23-55.
Asgreen didn’t have to wait long to see if he would win his first test against the clock since the 2020 Danish nationals, with Hayter the only remaining challenge in his way.
The Briton, in the leader’s yellow jersey, was second fastest at the first time check but crashed hard shortly afterwards on a bend.
Despite hitting the ground hard and grazes visible on his body, Hayter impressively remounted shortly after and maintained the high pace he set before his fall.
He managed to finish in ninth place, 62 seconds short of Asgreen’s time, but the Londoner had done enough to hold onto the race’s lead with just one stage to go.
For Asgreen, it was his first victory since triumphing at Flanders a month ago.
Results
- Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep, in 23-52
- Rafeal Reis (Por) Efapel, at 3 secs
- Benjamin Thomas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ, at 9 secs
- Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Arkea-Samsic, at 19 secs
- Nils Politt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, at 28 secs
- Ivo Oliveria (Por) UAE-Team Emirates, at 37 secs
- Ryan Gibbons (RSA) UAE-Team Emirates, at 52 secs
- Diego Lopez (Esp) Equipo Kern Pharma, at 53 secs
- Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1-02
- Carlos Rodriguez (Esp) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1-13
General classification after stage four
1. Ethan Hayter (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, in 14-53-34
2. João Rodrigues (Por) W52/FC Porto, at 12 seconds
3. Kasper Asgreen (Den) Deceuninck-QuickStep, at 21secs
4. Thibault Guernalec (Fra) Arkea-Samsic, at 22 secs
5. Jonathan Lastra Martinez (Esp) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, at 42 secs
6. Maxime Bouet (Fra) Arkea-Samsic, at 53 secs
7. Elie Gesbert (Fra) Arkea-Samsic, at 56 secs
8. Sebastian Henao Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1-18
9. Sean Quinn (USA) Hagens Berman Axeon, at 1-37
10. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Burgos-BH, at 1-43
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.
Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
-
-
Vuelta a España 2022 start list: All the riders expected to line up at the Spanish Grand Tour
Three-time winner Primož Roglič and recent Giro d'Italia victor Jai Hindley are both expected to start the 77th edition of the race
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
How to watch Vuelta a España 2022: Live stream the 77th Spanish Grand Tour
Here's how to catch all of the action of the Vuelta a España this August and September on TV and online
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
'He's going to win some big bike races' - Tom Pidcock hails Sam Watson as he turns pro with Groupama-FDJ
U23 British National champion has impressed his French team and more besides
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Adam Yates and Ineos Grenadiers discuss contract extension with Briton not assured of same Grand Tour opportunities
The Briton joined Ineos Grenadiers two years ago and is thought to be attracting interest from elsewhere
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Leo Hayter joins Ineos Grenadiers as stagiaire before turning pro with team in 2023
Baby Giro winner will move to highest level next season alongside his brother with British team
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Dave Brailsford admits Geraint Thomas proved Ineos management wrong at Tour de France
Ineos Grenadiers director of sport lauds performance of Welshman along with Tom Pidcock
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Tour de France 2022: Jonas Vingegaard wins stage 18 on Hautacam to increase gap to Tadej Pogačar in second place
Danish rider wins a second stage to increase his grip on the overall lead ahead of Pogačar
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘I’ve still got the TT up my sleeve’: Geraint Thomas pins GC hopes on final Tour de France time trial
'If a situation works for both of you then yeah, definitely we’d work together' - Welshman refuses to rule out alliance with Tadej Pogačar
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Geraint Thomas shadows Vingegaard and Pogačar to move up to third at the Tour de France
Welshman follows attacks on Alpe d'Huez to cement general classification position
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'We expected it to go off a bit, and it really did' — Geraint Thomas takes advantage of Tade