With less than 48 hours to go until the start, excitement is growing for the 50th edition of the Volta ao Algarve, which is expected to be memorable due to the excellent 175 riders entered.
The latest update to the list of participants confirms that the Algarve will be home to a peloton of more than 20 of the world’s top 100 riders – the weekly update of the ranking won’t be released until tomorrow – as well as 16 defending champions, including world, Olympic, national and continental champions, road racers as well as those from other disciplines.
João Almeida’s withdrawal from the entry list, due to his post-illness recovery, was compensated for by the entry of UAE Team Emirates youngster Isaac del Toro, winner of the 2023 Tour de l’Avenir, as well as a rider who has already made the podium at the Volta ao Algarve, German Maximilian Schachmann (BORA-hansgrohe), runner-up in the 2020 edition of the only Portuguese stage race on the UCI ProSeries circuit.
The main stars previously announced remain on the entry list sent by the teams to the organisation, including Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), Wout van Aert and Sepp Kuss (Team Visma |Lease a Bike), Geraint Thomas, Thomas Pidcock and Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek), Daniel Felipe Martínez (BORA-hansgrohe), Ben Healy and Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Arnaud Démare (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty), Casper van Uden (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) or Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility).
The final list of participants will be announced late on Tuesday afternoon.
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), Team Visma | Lease a Bike (Netherlands) and UAE Team Emirates (United Arab Emirates).
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).
Route
The Volta ao Algarve’s route retains the characteristics that make it appealing for the time of year in which it takes place, offering opportunities for sprinters, climbers and time trialists, as well as the chance for teams to prepare, in a high-level competition, the automatisms that could lead them to success over the course of the season.
Portimão hosts the start of the competition, where the teams will be presented and the 200.8 kilometres that will take the caravan to Lagos will begin, where a sprint finish is expected. The second stage starts from Lagoa and arrives, after 171.9 kilometres, at the top of Fóia. The final of the stage, which passes over the steep Pomba climb and with a bonus sprint just after Monchique and in the middle of the climb to the finish line, promises to be hectic.
The sprinters should have another chance on the third stage, 192.2 kilometres between Vila Real de Santo António and Tavira, in a one-day tour of the eastern end of the Algarve’s “Sotavento” and the Guadiana landscape.
The great novelty of the 50th edition comes on the fourth day. It’s an unprecedented 22-kilometre time trial, starting at the Albufeira Marina and finishing next to the city’s Town Hall. The race finishes with the long-awaited final stage at the top of Malhão. This time it will be 165.8 kilometres, starting in Faro.
Stages
14/02/2024 – 1st Stage: Portimão – Lagos, 200.8 km
15/02/2024 – 2nd Stage: Lagoa – Alto da Fóia, 171.9 km
16/02/2024 – 3rd Stage: Vila Real de Santo António – Tavira, 192.3 km
17/02/2024 – 4th Stage: Albufeira – Albufeira, 22 km (ITT)
18/02/2024 – 5th Stage: Faro – Alto do Malhão, 165.8 km