Portugal City Race 2017: Raquel Ferreira wins in Santo Tirso and Vila Real

The Portugal City Race 2017 had its 4th and 5th stages in Santo Tirso and Vila Real. Raquel Ferreira was unstoppable, winning both stages in the Women Senior class. In the Men Senior class, José Lopes and Maikel Rodriguez got the victories.

After Esposende, Braga and Vila do Conde, the Portugal City Race 2017 continued, this time in the City of the Jesuits. The 4th stage, in Santo Tirso, was organized by NAST – Núcleo Associativo de Santo Tirso, gathering more than two hundred participants. With a weak entry on the map, which made him lose quickly two minutes to the lead, José Lopes (Individual) turned out to be the most regular on a grueling course, taking advantage of the successive mistakes of his direct opponents, achieving a surprising triumph in the Men Senior class with the time of 44:50, against 45:06 from Miguel Nóbrega (COV - Natura), second placed. As in Vila do Conde, in the previous stage, Raquel Ferreira (Individual) and Daniela Alves (AD Cabroelo) were the top protagonists in the Women Senior class, with the advantage smiling once more to Ferreira by a comfortable four-minute advantage.

The city of Vila Real hosted the 5th stage of the Portugal City Race 2017, in a race organized by the OriMarão Club which joined 150 participants. After a one-stage break, in Santo Tirso, Maikel Rodriguez (Budiñoraid) returned for another victory, the fourth in the Portugal City Race this season. The Spanish athlete spent 43:06, leaving his compatriot Ángel Soto (Aromon) more than 5 minutes apart. In the women's race, Raquel Ferreira and Daniela Alves played, for the third time in a row, an interesting duel, and once again the victory went to Ferreira with the time of 44:14, against 46:47 of her opponent. With five of the thirteen stages of Portugal City Race 2017 already contested, Maikel Rodriguez and Raquel Ferreira register four wins each and are in the lead of the respective rankings. Ángel Soto and Daniela Alves follow in the second position, while the third place is occupied by Miguel Nóbrega and Andrea Dumitru.

Results

Santo Tirso City Race, 07th May 2017

Men Senior

1. José Lopes (Individual) 44:50 (+ 00:00)

2. Miguel Nóbrega (COV – Natura) 45:06 (+ 00:16)

3. Pedro Rama (ADM Ori-Mondego) 46:52 (+ 02:02)

4. Gil Sousa Pinto (OriMarão) 47:56 (+ 03:06)

5. André Fonseca (COALA) 48:01 (+ 03:11)

Women Senior

1. Raquel Ferreira (Individual) 41:14 (+ 00:00)

2. Daniela Alves (AD Cabroelo) 45:21 (+ 04:07)

3. Candela Puime López (Budiñoraid) 46:30 (+ 05:16)

4. Sara Miranda (Amigos da Montanha) 48:55 (+ 07:41)

5. Cristiana Lagoa (NAST) 50:40 (+ 09:26)

Vila Real City Race, 14th May 2017

Men Senior

1. Maikel Rodriguez (Budiñoraid) 43:06 (+ 00:00)

2. Ángel Soto (Aromon) 48:31 (+ 05:25)

3. Miguel Nóbrega (COV – Natura) 51:25 (+ 08:19)

4. Luís Ferreira (AD Cabroelo) 53:53 (+ 10:47)

5. André Fonseca (COALA) 53:58 (+ 10:52)

Women Senior

1. Raquel Ferreira (Individual) 44:14 (+ 00:00)

2. Daniela Alves (AD Cabroelo) 46:47 (+ 02:33)

3. Alicia Perez (Aromon) 48:40 (+ 04:26)

4. Andrea Dumitru (Individual) 49:03 (+ 04:49)

5. Candela Puime López (Budiñoraid) 49:38 (+ 05:24)

Results and further information at http://www.cityrace.pt/.

[Photo: Susana Luzir / facebook.com/cityraceportugal]

Joaquim Margarido