The 39th edition of the Volta ao Algarve, which will take place between February 14th and 17th, is an authentic race of champions. In the numerous peloton, in which 20 teams are already confirmed – eight of which from the WorldTour -, there will be seven national champions and even world champions.
One of the references is the German Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), winner of the Volta ao Algarve in 2011, German time trial champion, and two-time world champion in the same specialty, the one that also earned him the silver medal at the Olympic Games from London.
Martin's teammate Sylvain Chavanel arrives in the Algarve sporting the badges of the French time trial champion, having, like the German, joined the block of Omega Pharma that won the world team time trial title in 2012.
The Volta ao Algarve will also receive three more national time trial champions, including two men from countries with scrolls in this discipline. This is the case of Russian Denis Menchov (Katusha) and Dutch Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM).
The other champion in the fight against the chronometer is Marc de Maar (UnitedHealthcare), the Netherlands Antilles time trial and cross-country champion.
Slovenian time trial champion Robert Vrecer (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was also entered by his team, but is unlikely to be able to appear at the start, due to a fall with a presumed fractured collarbone he suffered yesterday at the Majorca Challenge.
The platoon of the 39th Volta ao Algarve also receives the long-distance champions from Portugal and Russia, Manuel Cardoso (Caja Rural) and Eduard Vorganov (Katusha), respectively.
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