Four times individual Time Trial World Champion (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016), three times Teams World Champion (2012, 2013 and 2016) and two times winner of the Volta ao Algarve (2011 and 2013), Tony Martin will be one of the contenders for the general classification on the firs edition of the Volta ao Algarve as a 2.HC race.

The team registered in Switzerland will attend the Volta ao Algarve with the two Portuguese riders of its roster, José Gonçalves and Tiago Machado.

According to the official enrolment form sent by Katusha-Alpecin to the organization of the race, the team also count to the Portuese early season competition with Simon Spilak, winner of the 2015 Tour de Suisse, Baptiste Planckaert, number one of the Europe Tour Ranking, Maurits Lammertink, winner of the 2016 Tour of Luxembourg, Sven Erik Bystrøm, U-23 Road World Champino in 2014, and Mads Würtz Schmidt, 2016 Road and Time Trial U-23 Danish Champion..

After the globalization of the Team Katusha-Alpecin, the Pro Continental Gazprom-RusVelo is now the most importante Russian Cycling block. For the Volta ao Algarve, the Russians had chosen a mix of young and experiente riders: Sergey Lagutin, stage winner in the 2016 Vuelta a España, Alexey Tsatevich, stage winner in the 2016 Volta Catalonia, Nikolay Trusov, former team worker at Tinkoff, Kirill Sveshnikov, Sergey Nikolaev, Evgeniy Shalunov, Ildar Arslanov and Artem Nych.

The Rally Cycling will be the only foreign continental team in Algarve. The American team registered eight riders for the Portuguese race, the Junior Time Trial World Champion, Brandon McNulty, Robert Britton, Matteo Dal-Cin, Adam de Vos, Evan Huffman, Colin Joyce, Sepp Kuss and Danny Pate.

Teams
WorldTour: Astana (CAZ), Bora-hansgrohe (GER), Cannondale-Drapac (EUA), Dimension Data (RSA), FDJ (FRA), Katusha-Alpecin (SUI), Lotto NL-Jumbo (NED), Lotto Soudal (BEL), Movistar (ESP), Quick-Step Floors (BEL) and Team Sky (GBR).
Continental Profissonal: Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (ESP), Cofidis (FRA), Gazprom-RusVelo (RUS), Manzana Postobón (COL), Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij (NED) and Wanty-Groupe Gobert (BEL)
Continental: Efapel, LA Alumínios-Metalusa, Louletano-Hospital de Loulé, RP-Boavista, Sporting-Tavira and W52-FC Porto (POR), and Rally Cycling (EUA)

Route
15 February – 1st Stage: Albufeira – Lagos, 180,3 km
16 February – 2nd Stage: Lagoa – Fóia (Monchique), 189,3 km
17 February – 3rd Stage: Sagres – Sagres (C/R Individual), 18 km
18 February – 4th Stage: Almodôvar – Tavira, 203,4 km
19 February – 5th Stage: Loulé – Malhão, 179,2 km