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To the Edge of Europe

Day one in the Algarve: a sunny 165 km loop from Silves to the lighthouse at Cabo de São Vicente and home along the coast. Read the ride.

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To the Edge of Europe

White tide lines of dried salt across the bib shorts at the end of a long, hot day in the saddle.

Salt tide lines on the shorts

Close-up of a blue cycling jersey streaked with white dried salt.

The sun leaves its mark

Dried salt crusted on a black Castelli glove at the end of the ride.

Salt tide lines on the gloves

A blue Castelli sock streaked with dried salt, on patterned Portuguese paving at the end of the ride.

Salt tide lines on the socks

Patterned Portuguese pavement along the Lagos waterfront, with palm trees, the marina footbridge and boats.

The Lagos waterfront

View from the road over a crash barrier down to a sandy beach and headland on the way into Lagos.

The coast below on the way into Lagos

Rider's-eye view over the handlebars, long shadow on the road, passing through Luz on the way into Lagos.

Rolling through Luz

Black road bike leaning on a wooden rail above the beach at Praia de Salema.

Bike on the rail above Praia de Salema

A stone-faced building and an old cartwheel beside the EN125 at Raposeira, heading back east from Vila do Bispo.

Raposeira on the way back from the lighthouse

Selfie of Richard in a sky-blue Maglia Azzurra jersey, white helmet and orange-lensed glasses, with his bike, scrubby clifftop and the Atlantic coast behind.

On the clifftops before the lighthouse

Selfie of Richard at Cabo de São Vicente in a sky-blue Maglia Azzurra jersey and white helmet, with his bike beside him and sheer cliffs above the Atlantic to his right.

…and cliffs the other

Selfie of Richard at Cabo de São Vicente in a sky-blue Maglia Azzurra jersey and white helmet, sheer cliffs and the Atlantic to his left, his bike leaning on the wall to his right.

At the lighthouse: cliffs one way…

Handlebar view down an empty road with red earth verges and scrub, the rider's shadow on the tarmac.

Red earth near Barão de São João

Looking down over the handlebars, bike computer and phone on the EN125 at Mexilhoeira Grande, heading west towards Odiáxere.

Over the bars at Mexilhoeira Grande

Coffee on a riverside café table in Portimão, legs stretched out in blue socks, road bike leaning against a tree.

Coffee by the river in Portimão

The front of the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Portimão, with an old pickup truck parked in the square.

The Igreja Matriz Portimão in the morning sun

A rider passing whitewashed houses on the cobbled streets beside the Igreja Matriz in Portimão.

Rolling through old Portimão

The whitewashed Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Portimão's parish church, with its bell tower above the cobbles, just after the coffee stop by the river.

Igreja Matriz de Portimão

Whitewashed church with blue trim and a bell tower in Estombar, above a small car park, under a deep blue sky.

Estombar's church in the morning sun

Rows of vines near Arrochela, on the road from Silves down to Estombar, nine kilometres in.

Vineyards on the way to Estombar

The rider's shadow by the Galp petrol station at Enxerim, on the EN124 just outside Silves, five kilometres in.

Shadow selfie at the Galp station Enxerim

Dry golden grass and scrub on a hillside under a clear blue sky, with a whitewashed village in the distance.

Rustic countryside from the first kilometre