Juan Ayuso won the 52nd edition of the Volta ao Algarve cycling race, which ended this Sunday in thrilling fashion with the iconic climb to Alto do Malhão. Making his debut for Lidl-Trek, after leaving UAE Team Emirates XRG, the Spanish rider donned the Yellow Jersey – Turismo do Algarve on the second stage, at Alto da Foia, and never let it go. More than that, he will take it home.
Ayuso had already raced once on Portuguese soil, in the cadet category – in 2017, he lost the Volta a Portugal in the cadet category on the last day – and made no secret of the fact that he wanted a different story this time. He got it, and he worked for it.
Ayuso’s strong message
Right from the start, he took advantage of an intermediate sprint at kilometer seven of the stage, in Olhão, to gain a bonus second and send a message to the competition.
Unlike on other days of the race, the breakaway took a while to form, but when it did, it was a strong one, with five high-quality names: Maximilian Schachmann (Soudal Quick-Step), Jan Tratnik (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe), Tobias Bayer (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Luca Van Boven (Lotto-Intermarché), and Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling Team).
5ª Etapa Faro – Alto do Malhão, Loulé 153,1 Km, 22.02.2026 da 52ª Volta ao Algarve, de 18 a 22 de Fevereiro de 2026 Foto: Igor Martins / FPC
The breakaway group consolidated its advantage over the peloton, reaching a lead of more than two minutes, which made Schachmann the virtual leader of the General Classification for many kilometers.
Ayuso’s mission
Then came the first mountain climbs of the day, in Soidos and Malhão, and the race broke apart. Schachmann and Alaphilippe were left alone at the front, the first eventually fell and it was the Frenchman who was left alone in the lead, winning the Combativity Award – Água Monchique.
Further back, João Almeida also decided to shake things up in the afternoon: a strong attack on the first climb of the day to Malhão split the peloton and left the group of favorites greatly reduced.
The group regrouped, but the damage was already done. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull – BORA – Hansgrohe) and Kévin Vauquelin (INEOS Grandiers) also attacked, passed Alaphilippe, and entered the last climb of the day to Malhão in the lead.
However, there were more riders with strong ambitions behind them: João Almeida attacked again and broke away from the group once more, but was unable to shake off Ayuso and Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), second in the general classification, as well as Oscar Onley (INEOS Grenadiers), Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), and Thomas Gloag (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team).
Riccitello tried to help Seixas, Onley also proved strong, but nothing on this sunny afternoon in Malhão could stop Juan Ayuso: the Spaniard wanted redemption in Portugal and got it, after a week in which he was stronger than the competition. The Yellow Jersey – Turismo do Algarve is his, as is the stage victory.
“I am very happy to have achieved this victory in my first race with Lidl-Trek. The opponents made the race very difficult, but the team responded well. I am very proud to belong to this team and to be able to offer the team to my colleagues”, said Ayuso, before praising the Algarve.
“It was a pleasure to race in Portugal, I really enjoyed the race, the reception was very good. I am very happy to have started my season here.”
Paul Seixas tried hard, but the 19-year-old prodigy leaves Portugal in second place in the General Classification. However, he wins the White Jersey – IPDJ, for youth. João Almeida was third overall.
In the points classification, Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) takes the Green Jersey – Crédito Agrícola, while in the mountains, it was Tomás Contte (Aviludo – Louletano – Loulé) who closed the Blue Jersey – Save Water.
The curtain falls on the 52nd edition of the Volta ao Algarve cycling race. After Jonas Vingegaard’s triumph a year ago, another big name in world cycling joins the Algarve’s hall of fame: on a day of celebration in Malhão, it was Juan Ayuso who came out on top.