The annulment of Raul Alarcón’s sporting results since July 2015, after confirming his four-year suspension from the CAS (see associated news) to the W52-FC Porto cyclist, has an effect on the rankings of the 2017 and 2018 rounds of Portugal, in which Amaro Antunes (W52-FC Porto) and Joni Brandão (Sporting-Tavira) become the new winners, entering the names in the competition’s gallery of honor, with the particularity that both are currently at the service of the dragons.
In 2017, Vicente de Mateos (Louletano) and Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting-Tavira) complete the podium, with the Spaniard being the winner of the points, while Amaro Antunes will add to the overall victories in the 1st stage Vila Franca de Xira – Lisbon and 4th stage Macedo de Cavaleiros – Senhora da Graça.
In 2018, Joni Brandão, in addition to first place overall, is the winner of the 4th stage (Guarda – Penhas da Saúde) and the mountain award, Vicente de Mateos (Louletano) and Edgar Pinto (Feirense) occupy the places of honor .
The Spaniard becomes the winner in the points, as well as in the 3rd stage (Sertã – Oliveira do Hospital), the Portuguese is awarded the victory in the 9th stage (Felgueiras- Senhora da Graça), while Sporting-Tavira become a team winner. The Norwegian Krister Hagen (Team COOP) is the winner of the 6th stage (Sernancelhe – Boticas), due to the suspension applied by the UCI to Domingos Gonçalves who had been first.
Raul Alarcón is the fifth cyclist to lose the Volta a Portugal for doping, succeeding Joaquim Agostinho in 1969 and 1973, Fernando Mendes in 1978, Marco Chagas in 1979 and Nuno Ribeiro in 2009.
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