Venezuela dominates in the Alentejo: Linarez wins the stage and Aular is the leader

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Lisbon, 18 Mar Venezuelan cyclist Leangel Linarez, from the Tavfer-Mortágua-Ovos Matinados team, won this Friday the third stage of the Volta al Alentejo, in which his compatriot Orluis Aular (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) regained the lead he had lost the previous day. Linarez won a sprint victory and crossed the finish line first after traveling the 176.7 kilometers between Elvas and Ponte de Sor with a time of 3h 58:33. Aular, second, and Portuguese Daniel Freitas, third, completed the podium of the third stage of the “Alentejana”. The Venezuelan from Caja Rural recovered the yellow jersey, which had been snatched the day before by Spaniard Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi) after winning the second stage and reaping his first victory as a professional. Aular leads the general standings with three seconds ahead of the Spanish cyclist and 8 seconds ahead of Linarez. Another Spaniard from Euskaltel, Iker Ballarín, is seventh to 16 seconds from the head. The fourth stage of the Volta al Alentejo is an 8.4 km time trial that will be played this Saturday between Castelo de Vide and Cri. The 39th edition of the race, in which 19 teams participate, runs until Sunday. CHIEF pfm/ism