Ahead of the 190-kilometre stage, Foss analysed the final climb in detail. "It's a climb that will suit me well. We are expected to sprint with a big group for the day's win. It's probably not steep enough to make a big difference, but you can lose a lot on a bad day here."

So the Norwegian knew what to expect. After six escapees' desperate but futile attempt to stay out of the peloton's grip, a reduced group began the final seven kilometres towards the Algarve's highest point. Sam Oomen, Milan Vader and others supported Foss.

The pace of the bunch, combined with the wind picking up, made a breakaway impossible. With just a few hundred metres to go, the group went into the sprint. Foss finished 11th, two seconds behind day winner Cort, in the same time as many of his rivals.

"This was the scenario we had in mind", team manager Marc Reef said. "It was a tough day with hard riding, especially on the last climb. All in all, we are happy with the way things went. Tobias had good support from his teammates throughout the day. Milan could stay with him until the last two kilometres and help him when needed. In the sprint, Tobias was in the lead. The corners in the last kilometre made it difficult for him to find a gap. We are now in a position that allows us to move forward in the coming days. The biggest difference will probably be on Saturday, as there are two steep climbs on the course. Tomorrow we will also have to stay alert. We hope to be in the best possible position for the final time trial on Sunday."