Aviludo/Louletano and Sporting/Tavira depart for the Volta a Portugal, which begins this Wednesday, 31 July, with the same objective: trying to win the 81st edition of the emblematic competition.
These are the two teams from the Algarve that will compete in the main cycling competition, on the national calendar, which will start in Viseu, for a 6-kilometre prologue.
On the part of Louletano, the chips are all staked on a name: Vicente de Mateos, a Spaniard who was 3rd in 2017 and 2018.
«Our team goes with the clear objective of winning. The whole team will be around Vicente de Mateos, who has every chance of winning because he is doing well on all terrains», said Jorge Piedade, sports director of the Loulé team, to Sul Informação.
Runners like Luís Fernandes, David de la Fuente or Márcio Barbosa thus have the mission of work on behalf of the leader.
In the ranks of Sporting/Tavira there is no primary name, appointed as leader and main candidate.
“We are all well prepared, but there will certainly be some who are better able to do that. I'm talking about Tiago Machado, Alejandro Marque and Frederico Figueiredo. We do not have a defined leader, what we want is for them to leave on equal terms», explained Vidal Fitas, Sporting/Tavira's sports director, to Sul Informação.
"The race takes many turns and, depending on what happens, we are going to define who we bet the most on," he added.
For both sports directors, the route of this edition of Volta a Portugal, which does not pass either in the Algarve or in the entire Alentejo, is «tough, as always».
“There are tougher days, there is the issue of heat. The decision will be in those decisive stages, such as the climb to the Tower [August 4th], the final time trial [on the 11th] and Nossa Senhora da Graça [August 10th]», considered Jorge Piedade.
«The route of the Volta is always complicated. The key points are the same, this year also with the ascent to Serra do Larouco. The cyclists are also the ones who make the Tour tougher or not,” said Vidal Fitas.
It is certain that cyclists will not pass, once again, in the Algarve. «I understand that it is impossible to reach every corner, but, for a team from the Algarve, of course we would like the Volta to pass in the region», considered the sporting director of Sporting/Tavira.
In the struggle of the Algarve for the final victory, the main opponents are Gustavo Veloso and Edgar Pinto (W52-FC Porto) and Joni Brandão, from EFAPEL and former Sporting/Tavira runner.
Raul Alarcon, winner of the last two editions with W52-FC Porto, will not be present.
Stages of the Tour of Portugal:
31st of July – Prologue (Viseu-Viseu, 6 kilometers)
1st of August – 1st stage (Miranda do Corvo – Leiria, 174,7 kilometers)
2nd August – 2nd stage (Marinha Grande – Loures, 198,5 kilometers)
3rd of August – 3rd stage (Santarém – Castelo Branco, 194,1 kilometers)
4th of August – 4th stage (Pampilhosa da Serra – Covilhã, 145 kilometers)
5th of August – 5th stage (Oliveira do Hospital – Guarda, 158 kilometers)
7th of August – 6th stage (Torre de Moncorvo – Bragança, 189,2 kilometers)
8th of August – 7th stage (Bragança – Montalegre, 156,2 kilometers)
9th of August – 8th stage (Viana do Castelo – Felgueiras, 156,6 kilometers)
10th of August – 9th stage (Fafe – Mondim de Basto, 133,5 kilometers)
11th August – 10th stage (Vila Nova de Gaia – Porto, 19,5 kilometers)
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