Young Gun Rider Interview: The Volta a Portugal doesn’t get much recognition outside its home country, but ask anyone who has ridden the Portuguese tour and they will tell you how hard it is and how difficult it is to get a result. Scott McGill not only won two stages, he also brought home the final win in the points classification. Ed Hood caught up with Scott on his return to the US, before he won the Bucks County Classic last weekend.Volta a Portugal stage 6 winThe Volta a Portugal is a race which beyond the national borders doesnt cause much of a stir to cycling pundits and fans. But in Portugal, its huge.Yes, the Volta a Portugal is bigI have a soft spot for the race, back in 1988 Worcesters Cayn Theakston became only the second British rider to win a continental national Tour Vin Denson won the Tour of Luxembourg in 1965 taken out by crashes in the previous two editions of the race Theakston triumphed in a 19 stage, three week epic over terrible road surfaces, goat track mountain passes and rivalry within his own team. The field in the Volta back then was probably unique in that top level professionals rode alongside local amateurs making for uncontrolled and dangerous racing. Theakston was one of the first riders I interviewed when I decided I wanted to be a cycling scribe and every year since then Ive watched the Volta with interest. The race is now contested over…
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