Let’s go back to the end of April, when there was talk of the Gran Premio O Jogo. What was then the Volta a Portugal? A competition with a favorite team, the W52 FC Porto chronicle. A race with other teams and riders capable of challenging the blue and white hegemony. A competition capable of arousing great interest, even due to the growth of the sport in recent years, also counting on international symbols that enhance this positive wave. A competition with an interesting calendar in competitive terms that added to the mythical arrivals at Torre and Senhora da Graça a climb to the Vila Nova Observatory. It was at this time that the Prova Limpa operation was put into practice. Everything changed. And it is still changing.
A trip to Spain to avoid the Volta a Portugal: W52 FC Porto with a suspended license and unable to compete
First there were the records of various elements of W52 FC Porto and the arrests of sports directors Nuno Ribeiro and José Rodrigues (of Fortuna Maia but linked to the Blue and Whites). Then, the news that gave account of the constitution as defendants of ten more members of the team, including a total of eight riders. Then, the suspension of these runners by the Portuguese Anti-Doping Authority during the Douro International Grand Prix (won by the only one who “resisted”, José Neves). Next, the suspension of the team by the International Cycling Union, when Spanish athletes had already been found to take part in the Tour, and the suspension of cycling by the dragons. After all, he hadn’t stopped there and the shadow of doping remained so far as a result of phase 2 of the operation.
One runner confessed, another is already suspended but some will have “passed”: what is known about phase 2 of the Prova Limpa operation
After the departure of Daniel Freitas (from Rádio Popular Boavista) and Francisco Campos (from Efapel), both former W52 FC Porto runners in different periods, also Luís Mendonça (from Glassdrive, main favorite to win the race) and João Benta (from Efapel) were crossed out among the 125 participants of 18 teams that were going to start the prologue in Lisbon even without having been charged after the raids to which they were directed. “I noticed that the indications of the organization and the Federation, with greater or lesser clarity, placed all the professionals subject to raids, accused or not, in the same group. This is not defending the modality, is to give an ax to those who comply”, Benta said.
Amaro Antunes repeats the feat of 2020 and wins the Volta a Portugal for the second time
Despite the many absences, there was enough quality to make the competition an interesting one. among most favorite names like Maurício Moreira, Frederico Figueiredo, António Carvalho (all on Glassdrive), Alejandro Marque, Délio Fernández (Tavira), Joaquim Silva, Henrique Casimiro (Efapel) or Vicente García de Mateos (Louletano). Even so, there was almost a black cloud over everyone’s head in this 5.4-kilometre prologue in Lisbon with the characteristics of riders like Rafael Reis, and here too one of the most important Tours of recent years started, taking into account all the weather created around. sport and the impact that it can have in the short and medium term on evolution.
The Spanish Jokin Murguialday is the last to leave for the prologue of the Volta a Portugal
“I just walked across the team park and the fans who are correspond to the same wealth that we would have in normal conditions, we cannot give the importance we give to a problem that does not yet exist because there are cases like this everywhere and I do not know why cycling is given so much emphasis and attention to this problem. It is a problem of two, three or half a dozen cyclists and the Volta a Portugal has nothing to do with it, it is the organizer who is oblivious to this situation, ”said Cândido Barbosa, history of national cycling and the Volta, in statements . made for Radio Observer.
When all the conversations were still focused on the real earthquake which was the Prova Limpa operation in its two chapters, the Volta teams, riders and organization wanted to focus only on the start of this year’s edition. With such a short prologue there shouldn’t be many surprises, but Glassdrive confirmed the favoritism of their great reference in the time trial, the national champion Rafael Reis, who beat the American Joey Rosskopf by 11 seconds before also placing himself as one of the main favorites. General Maurício Moreira, in second position (nine seconds behind his partner). Oliver Rees, Trinity Racing, finished with the same time in the runner-up position of Maurício Moreira.
“It’s special. There were three victories in the National Championships, the Mediterranean Games and now. We worked all year for the Volta. I lost by a second to last year’s Rafael Reis by chance… The goal was to win the prologue, now the general is the target with Maurício being our leader”, commented Rafael Reis after the triumph at Praça do Império, in Lisbon, as had happened last year.
Source: Observadora
