Rotem Tene takes first pro victory in Volta a Portugal
# Rotem Tene Celebrates First Professional Victory at Volta a Portugal
The IPT Academy team continues to shine at the Volta a Portugal, as Rotem Tene claimed his maiden professional win on stage 8 in Santarém. The 24-year-old Israeli rider outpaced his breakaway companions, further adding to the team’s impressive tally of three previous stage wins.
“It feels unreal,” Tene expressed, overwhelmed with emotion following his victory. “I’ve been in this sport for quite a long time, five years with this team already, and I’m just so happy to finally take this win. It shows it’s all worth it!”
Understanding the strategic potential of the stage, Tene positioned himself well when a significant breakaway formed. As the group maintained its advantage, he focused on staying composed, biding his time for the perfect moment to unleash his sprint.
“I knew more or less what I wanted to do in the finale,” he explained. “I knew that if I could get into the last corner first, without going full gas, and then hit it hard, I’d instantly get a gap. I did a similar sprint a few months ago, so I knew exactly how I wanted it to play out this time. To do it for the win is something else, though. This is really special.”
IPT’s sports director Ruben Plaza shared in Tene’s joy, reflecting on the team’s fantastic showing in the competition. “I’m so happy for Rotem. This was quite an emotional win for everybody here. Rotem is a guy who’s always working so hard for his teammates, and now it was his turn. He really deserves it,” Plaza remarked.
He elaborated on the team’s strategy for the day: “Already a few days ago, we identified this as a good stage for him, so we really wanted to get him in the right breakaway. It was a bit of a gamble, as we also had a clear favorite in Brady [Gilmore], but we wanted to give Rotem a chance. It was so good to see him finishing it off like that. Rotem really deserves this victory. We are all so happy for him. What a race the boys are having here in Portugal!”
As the race progresses, stagiaire Zac Marriage holds the position as the best-placed rider in the general classification, currently sitting 13th overall—just 50 seconds shy of the top 10—before the challenging mountain-top finish to Montejunto awaits.
