Adrià Pericas delivered the kind of breakthrough every young rider waits for, winning stage 7 of the Volta a Portugal in a three-up sprint and moving into third place overall. For UAE Team Emirates-XRG, it was another reminder of just how deep their season has been, with the team now up to 63 wins in the 2026 campaign.
The 20-year-old, in his debut season with the squad after stepping up from the development team, seized the moment after a tough day in the hills. Alexis Guerin attacked on the Alto de Germil, with Artem Nych and Pericas following, and the stage eventually came down to a sprint finish at Termas do Gerês.
Pericas seals the breakthrough
Pericas finished the job with composure, taking the stage from the small leading group and claiming his first professional victory. It was also UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s third stage win in this year’s Volta a Portugal, with three stages still to come.
That matters not just for the individual rider, but for the wider story of the race. Pericas has now moved to third overall, while Alexis Guerin remains in first place on the general classification after stage 7.
“Crazy hard” but worth it
After the finish, Pericas made no attempt to hide how much the win meant to him. He described it as an “incredible” day and said the stage had been “just a crazy stage, crazy hard”, before adding that he felt “super good” and was proud to win.
He also paid tribute to the people around him, saying he had worked a lot for this with his family and friends and wanted to thank everyone who had carried him and looked after him. The victory clearly carried extra weight because it was his first pro win.
Pericas also pointed to the strength of the Anicolor riders and explained that he was close to his limit on the climb before feeling better on the downhill. From there, he said he pushed all the way to the line and was now “super, super happy”.
What it means for UAE Team Emirates-XRG
The result adds another layer to a remarkable run for UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Pericas became the 17th different rider to win for the team in the 2026 campaign, a sign of how widely their victories have been spread.
That is especially striking given that the team set a sporting record last season with wins from 20 different riders. With three stages left in the Volta a Portugal, they are already looking at another race where the wins continue to accumulate.
For Pericas, though, this was the day that mattered most. A first professional victory, a move to third overall, and a stage win that confirmed he is ready for a bigger role.
