French cyclist Alexis Guérin wins Joaquim Agostinho Trophy

French cyclist Alexis Guérin (Anicolor-Tien21) won the 48th Joaquim Agostinho Trophy today, after the third and final stage won by Portuguese Afonso Silva (APHotels&Resorts-Tavira-Farense).

The 25-year-old Portuguese rider escaped the peloton and prevailed at the end of the 172.5 kilometers between Lourinhã and Torres Vedras, with Spaniards Gorka Sorarrain and Sergi Darder, both from Caja Rural, finishing second and third, respectively, leading the chasing group, which 'glued' Silva.

Guérin arrived in the peloton, with the same 04:03.57 hours as the winner, and secured the overall victory in the Joaquim Agostinho Trophy.

"I'm very happy, but the most important thing is that this was the victory of the best team in Portugal. It's not easy to win this trophy; there were many contenders," said the 33-year-old Frenchman, as quoted by the Portuguese Cycling Federation.

The Anicolor-Tien21 rider wore the final yellow jersey, with Australian Sebastian Berwick (Caja Rural) in second, 20 seconds behind, and Colombian Jesús Peña (APHotels&Resorts-Tavira-Farense) completing the podium.

"The next goal is for the team to win the Tour of Portugal. We feel like a family, and that ends up being more important than cycling," said Guérin, who even finished ahead of his leader, Russian Artem Nych, the 2024 Tour champion who finished fourth overall.

History says that whoever wins the Joaquim Agostinho Trophy doesn't win the Tour of Portugal, but the Frenchman, who only joined the national peloton this year, could be the exception.

Also champion of the Grande Prémio Internacional Beiras e Serra da Estrela, Guérin shares the spotlight with Nych on the national calendar this season, with a new 'fratricidal' fight now awaiting the leadership of Anicolor-Tien21 in the 86th Volta a Portugal, which will take place between August 6th and 17th.

*with Lusa agency