Image: from Diário de Coimbra X @diariodecoimbra
By Open Chronicle Cycling
13 August 2026
Adrià Pericas claimed the first professional victory of his career on Thursday with an impressive performance in the seventh stage of the 2026 Volta a Portugal, overcoming the Anicolor Campicarn pairing of Artem Nych and race leader Alexis Guérin at Termas do Gerês.
The young UAE Team Emirates XRG rider survived one of the hardest stages of this year’s race and then showed the strongest finish of the three riders who reached the decisive kilometres together.
Pericas crossed the line ahead of Nych, with Guérin completing the stage podium. More importantly for the overall race, the result moved Pericas into third place in the general classification, transforming the battle for the podium with only three stages remaining.
Anicolor attacks while defending yellow
The seventh stage was always expected to provide another major test for the general classification.
The route from Vieira do Minho to Termas do Gerês contained more than 3,000 metres of climbing, with the race becoming particularly selective after entering the Peneda Gerês region. The Alto de Germil provided the defining terrain, including several kilometres of cobbled road.
Rather than simply protecting Guérin’s Yellow Jersey, Anicolor Campicarn chose an aggressive strategy.
The Portuguese team increased the pressure on Germil and progressively reduced the group containing the main overall contenders.
Guérin eventually attacked with approximately 40 kilometres remaining. Nych followed his teammate, while Pericas demonstrated that he had the legs to stay with the two strongest riders from Anicolor. Pedro Silva was initially able to accompany them before losing contact.
It produced an unusual situation at the front of the Volta.
Anicolor had the numerical advantage, but Pericas refused to be isolated out of contention.
UN ESTRENO 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈́𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐎 🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸
ADRIÁ
PERICAS
CAPDEVILA 🔥Primera victoria profesional para el ciclista español nacido en 2006, y lo hace por delante de los dos anicolor#VP26 | #LaCasadelCiclismo pic.twitter.com/xgi5fS5dyR
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) August 13, 2026
Pericas survives the Anicolor pressure
Guérin, Nych and Pericas crossed the summit of Germil together before beginning the technical descent towards the final section of the stage.
Behind them, Pedro Silva continued the chase, while the gaps to several other general classification contenders began to grow.
For Pericas, simply remaining with Guérin and Nych was already significant. The UAE Team Emirates XRG rider had started the day fourth overall and was defending the White Jersey, but his performance was rapidly turning the youth classification into something much more important.
He was riding himself onto the provisional podium of the Volta.
The leading trio remained together approaching Termas do Gerês, setting up a fascinating tactical finish between the two Anicolor riders and their younger rival.
Pericas chooses his moment
Despite being outnumbered, Pericas remained patient.
In the closing hundreds of metres, he launched his sprint and had enough acceleration to prevent Nych from coming past.
Pericas took the victory, Nych finished second, and Guérin crossed the line third.
It was the first professional victory of Pericas’ career and one of the most significant results of his young career.
The victory also provided UAE Team Emirates XRG with another major result in a Volta where the WorldTour team has repeatedly influenced the race.
Stage 7 result
Vieira do Minho → Termas do Gerês
1. Adrià Pericas, UAE Team Emirates XRG, 3:48:33
2. Artem Nych, Anicolor Campicarn, same time
3. Alexis Guérin, Anicolor Campicarn, same time
4. Pedro Silva, Feira dos Sofás Boavista, +0:28
Pericas’ victory was therefore much more than a stage success. It substantially changed the composition of the general classification.
Guérin keeps yellow
Anicolor Campicarn may have missed the stage victory, but strategically the day was another success.
Guérin remains leader of the 87th Volta a Portugal, while defending champion Nych continues in second place.
The difference between the two teammates is now only 47 seconds.
Pericas moves into third at 1:57, putting UAE Team Emirates XRG firmly into the podium battle.
The situation is considerably more difficult for Tiago Antunes. The Efapel leader was unable to remain with the decisive move and dropped from third to sixth overall.
General classification after Stage 7
1. Alexis Guérin, Anicolor Campicarn, 23:29:45
2. Artem Nych, Anicolor Campicarn, +0:47
3. Adrià Pericas, UAE Team Emirates XRG, +1:57
4. Pedro Silva, Feira dos Sofás Boavista, +3:21
5. José Neves, GI Group Holding Simoldes UDO, +4:29
6. Tiago Antunes, Efapel Cycling, +4:57
A new podium contender
Until the Gerês stage, the central question surrounding Pericas was whether the young Spaniard could remain among the established contenders when the Volta reached its hardest terrain.
Stage 7 provided an emphatic answer.
He did not merely survive.
He followed Guérin and Nych when Anicolor attempted to break the race, remained with them through the decisive kilometres and then defeated both at the finish.
The result makes Pericas one of the central figures of the final three stages.
Guérin still controls the race, and Nych remains Anicolor’s second weapon, but the margin for tactical error has become smaller.
Pericas is now close enough to make every attack relevant.
Next: Melgaço to Fafe
The Volta continues on Friday, 14 August, with Stage 8 from Melgaço to Fafe.
The race has entered its decisive northern phase, with Guérin carrying yellow and Nych only 47 seconds behind.
Pericas, meanwhile, begins the next stage no longer simply as the best young rider in the race.
He begins it as third overall and a genuine contender for the final podium.
And beyond Fafe waits one of the defining appointments of the 2026 Volta, the double ascent of Senhora da Graça on Stage 9.