The line-up for the 50th Volta ao Algarve has been finalised and will include 25 teams. Visma | Lease a Bike, number two in the world ranking, INEOS Grenadiers, fourth in the international hierarchy, and Intermarché-Wanty, 14th at the end of the 2023 season, join the 13 previously announced teams and the nine Portuguese continental teams.
The only Portuguese stage race on the UCI ProSeries circuit, on the road from 14 to 18 February, will feature 13 WorldTeams, the highest number ever, on a par with the figure achieved in 2018. As well as the majority of the squad being made up of WorldTour teams, the top five in the 2023 ranking will be present: UAE Team Emirates, Visma | Lease a Bike, Soudal Quick-Step, INEOS Grenadiers and Lidl-Trek.
Hailing from the Netherlands, Visma | Lease a Bike marked the 2023 season by winning all three grand tours. It’s a team with a long history in the Volta ao Algarve, where it will be taking part for the 15th time, with a connection to the Portuguese race dating back to 2006, when the team was still called Rabobank.
In addition to Primož Roglič’s overall victory in 2017, the Dutch team has won five stages in the Algarve. Dylan Groenewegen was the best in Lagos in 2018, a year in which he also won in Tavira, where he would do the double the following year. In 2013, under the Blanco Pro Cycling name, Paul Martens triumphed in Albufeira and Theo Bos won in Lagoa.
INEOS Grenadiers won five editions of the Volta ao Algarve. Daniel Martínez imposed himself in 2023, Michal Kwiatkowski won in 2018, Geraint Thomas was the best in 2015 and 2016 and Richie Porte was crowned in 2012.
The British team has won 12 stages in the Volta ao Algarve, a race in which they will be taking part for the 13th time. Thomas Pidcock achieved the most recent triumph in 2023, at the top of Malhão, where Michal Kwiatkowsli (2018), Richie Porte (2012 and 2015), Sergio Henao (2013) and Stephen Cummings (2011) have also won for the British team. In the other uphill finish, Fóia, Ethan Hayter (2021) and Michal Kwiatkowski (2018) have already won. Geraint Thomas also won in Monchique (2015) and Lagoa (2018). In 2012, Bradley Wiggins won the time trial in Portimão and Edvald Boasson Hagen won the sprint in Lagoa.
Intermarché-Wanty will be taking part in the Volta ao Algarve for the tenth time, a race in which it is still looking for its first victory. It’s a team whose growth – from ProTeam to WorldTeam – has followed the path of the Volta ao Algarve, promoted from 2.1 to ProSeries.
The Volta ao Algarve is the best opportunity for Portuguese teams to compete in the same peloton as the main teams in the international peloton, which is why the nine continental teams registered in Portugal for 2024 will be on the start line for the 50th edition of the race.
Participating teams
WorldTeams: Alpecin-Deceuninck (Belgium), Arkea-B&B Hotels (France), Astana Qazaqstan Team (Kazakhstan), BORA-hansgrohe (Germany), EF Education-EasyPost (USA), Groupama-FDJ (France), INEOS Grenadiers (UK), Intermarché-Wanty (Belgium), Lidl-Trek (USA), Soudal Quick-Step (Belgium), Team dsm-firmenich PostNL (Netherlands), UAE Team Emirates (United Arab Emirates) and Visma | Lease a Bike (Netherlands).
ProTeams: Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Spain), Tudor Pro Cycling (Switzerland) and Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (Norway).
Continental teams: ABTF Betão-Feirense (Portugal), AP Hotels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense (Portugal), Aviludo-Louletano-Loulé Concelho (Portugal), Credibom-LA Alumínios-Marcos Car (Portugal), Efapel Cycling (Portugal), Kelly-Simoldes-UDO (Portugal), Rádio Popular-Paredes-Boavista (Portugal), Sabgal-Anicolor (Portugal) and Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua (Portugal).