Less than two months before the start of the 44th Volta ao Algarve (14-18 February) we begin to know the plans of the teams for the Portuguese 2.HC race.

The Team Katusha Alpecin will fight for the yellow jersey. The list of riders sent to the organization of the race shows some riders able for the wiining battle. The German Tony Martin, four times time trial World Champion and winner of the Volta ao Algarve in 2011 and 2013 is one of them. He counts with a time trial for specialists and the absence of time bonuses to limit his possible losses in the other stages. The Slovenian Simon Spilak, winner of the Tour of Suisse (2015 and 2017) and the Tour of Romandie (2010) is also a strong contender for the GC.

José Gonçalves and Tiago Machado will be at home and are two complet cyclists, so their role at team work will define their personal GC ambitions. Robert Kiserlovski, Maurits Lammertink and Jhonatan Restrepo are the other riders pre-selected for the race.

The French FDJ will come to Algarve with a team of Champions, leaded by the French road race champion, Arnaud Démare, a cyclist able to fight for the win in the first and the fourth days, two stages for sprinters. The Lithuanian road and time trial national champion, Ignatas Konovalovas, and the Dutch road champion, Ramon Sinkeldam, are also expected in Algarve with David Cimolai, Jacopo Guarnieri, Antoine Duchesne and Olivier le Gac.

The Spanish A Caja Rural-Seguros RGA registered a young team for the Volta ao Algarve headed by the Portuguese time trialist Rafael Reis and the Portuguese climber Joaquim Silva. Josu Zabala, Gonzalo Serrano, Mauricio Moreira, Miguel Ángel Benito and Julen Amezqueta are also selected.

Stages
February 14: 1st Stage: Albufeira – Lagos, 192,6 km
February 15: 2nd Stage: Sagres – Fóia (Monchique), 187,9 km
February 16: 3rd Stage: Lagoa – Lagoa, 20,3 km (ITT)
February 17: 4th Stage: Almodôvar – Tavira, 199,2 km
February 18: 5th Stage: Faro – Malhão (Loulé), 173,5 km

Last winners
2017 – Primoz Roglic (Team Lotto NL-Jumbo)
2016 – Geraint Thomas (Sky)
2015 – Geraint Thomas (Sky)
2014 – Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)
2013 – Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)
2012 – Richie Porte (Sky)
2011 – Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad)
2010 – Alberto Contador (Astana)
2009 – Alberto Contador (Astana)
2008 – Stijn Devolder (QuickStep)