This page contains the stage podium, the race story, GC implications after the stage, and per-rider performance. Read no further if you intend to watch this stage unspoiled.
Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) sealed the overall with a stage win in the yellow jersey atop the Alto do Malhão, outsprinting Oscar Onley after a tense day that saw an Alaphilippe/Lipowitz/Vauquelin move briefly threaten the GC. Paul Seixas was third on the day and second overall.
The 148.4 km final stage from Faro to the Alto do Malhão above Loulé was always going to settle the race over its hilly run-in and twin ascents of the short, sharp Malhão climb. A luxury breakaway formed with Julian Alaphilippe, Max Schachmann, Jan Tratnik, Luca van Boven and Tobias Bayer.
On the first ascent of the 2.6 km Malhão, João Almeida lit the GC group up and split it to just four followers, but with no collaboration the move stalled. As the GC group rejoined, Florian Lipowitz and Kévin Vauquelin counter-attacked and bridged to a by-then isolated Alaphilippe (Schachmann had crashed on the hilly approach). With Vauquelin briefly under a minute from yellow, Lidl-Trek had the firepower to control the threat and reeled the leaders in at the very base of the final climb.
UAE drove the pace and Almeida hit the front early on the closing ascent to burn off rivals; only the key men followed. Matthew Riccitello launched Paul Seixas inside the final kilometre, but with no gaps opening it came down to a sprint. Onley went first, but Ayuso had the better kick and won the stage in yellow ahead of Onley and Seixas — confirming the overall victory in the most emphatic way.
Ayuso's stage win in the leader's jersey sealed the general classification. Final GC: 1. Ayuso; 2. Seixas +0:14; 3. Almeida +0:59; 4. Onley +1:22; 5. Vauquelin +1:40; 6. Riccitello +1:53; 7. Daniel Martínez +1:53; 8. Lipowitz +2:15; 9. Arensman +2:18; 10. Yannis Voisard +2:35. Seixas also won the white young-rider jersey, Magnier the points classification, Tomás Contte the mountains, and INEOS Grenadiers the team classification.
Ayuso capped a near-perfect Algarve by winning the Malhão summit sprint in the yellow jersey, the exclamation point on his Lidl-Trek debut victory. Across the week he was second at Fóia, second in the ITT (only 6s off Ganna), and the strongest in the finale, defending then extending his lead. It was a statement GC win to open his new chapter.
Onley was runner-up on the day, leading out the final sprint but pipped by Ayuso, and finished fourth overall in his INEOS debut Algarve. A strong, aggressive final stage that confirmed his climbing form for the spring.
Riccitello launched Seixas inside the final kilometre, but when no gaps appeared the 19-year-old took third on the stage and held second overall, also winning the white young-rider jersey. A breakthrough week confirming Seixas as one of the sport's brightest GC talents.
Vauquelin was the day's chief aggressor, counter-attacking with Lipowitz to bridge to Alaphilippe and briefly threatening the yellow jersey before Lidl-Trek shut the move down at the foot of the final climb. The effort cost him on the run-in but he held fifth overall.