The winners of the World, European and Portuguese Teams Rankings will be at the 45th Volta ao Algarve, from 20 to 24 February 20019, in the south of Portugal.

As it happened in the last years, the best teams recognize the Volta ao Algarve, the Portuguese 2.HC race, as one of the best spots for the start of the season.

The peloton of the 2019 Volta ao Algarve will have 10 to 12 WorldTour teams, among them the number one in the 2018 World Tour Ranking, the Belgian Deceuninck-Quick Step. From the WorldTour we can also confirm the presence of the Germans Bora-hansgrohe and Team Sunweb, the African Team Dimension Data, the Polish CCC Team and the Swiss Team Katusha Alpecin.

The Portuguese race will also receive the two best teams of the European Ranking, the Belgian Wanty-Groupe Gobert and the French Cofidis, Solutions Crédits. The Spanish Caja Rural-Seguros RGA is also confirmed.

The winner of the 2018 Portuguese Ranking, Sporting-Tavira, is one of the eight Continental teams from Portugal invited to the race, joining Aviludo-Louletano, Efapel, LA Alumínios-LA Sport, Miranda-Mortágua, Rádio Popular-Boavista, UD Oliveirense and Vito-Feirense-PNB. Also the Professional Continental Team W52-FC Porto, the best Portuguese Team in the European ranking, will start the 2019 Volta ao Algarve.

In the coming weeks we will unveil the complete list of teams.

Stages
February 20 – 1st Stage: Portimão – Lagos, 199,1 km
February 21 – 2nd Stage: Almodôvar – Fóia, 187,4 km
February 22 – 3rd Stage: Lagoa – Lagoa, 20,3 km (ITT)
February 23 – 4th Stage: Albufeira – Tavira, 198,3 km
February 24 – 5th Etapa: Faro – Malhão, 173,5 km

Previous winners of the Volta ao Algarve
2018 – Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky)
2017 – Primoz Roglic (Team Lotto NL-Jumbo)
2016 – Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)
2015 – Geraint Thomas (Team 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)