Sanchez leads in Algarve after second stage win

Spain's Astana rider Luis Leon Sanchez won the second stage of the Volta ao Algarve in southern Portugal on Thursday, seizing the overall leader's yellow jersey in the process.

Sanchez triumphed on the summit finish, 902 metres up at the Alto da Foia, beating Britain's Geraint Thomas of Sky by a single second with Slovenia's Primoz Roglic third for Lotto NL-Jumbo.

Those three lead the general classification, in the same order, with Sanchez five seconds ahead of Thomas and nine seconds clear of Roglic.

Friday's third stage is an 18km time-trial in Sagres. The five-stage race concludes on Sunday.

Second stage results:

1. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Astana) 5h 08:25, 2. Geraint Thomas (GBR) at 1sec, 3. Primoz Roglic (SLO) 3, 4. Ion Izagirre (ESP) same time, 5. Tiago Machado (POR) 5.

Overall standings:

1. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Astana), 9 h 00:50, 2. Geraint Thomas (GBR) at 5secs, 3. Primoz Roglic (SLO) 9, 4. Ion Izagirre (ESP) 13, 5. Tiago Machado (POR) 15.
Source: AFP