The 47th Volta ao Algarve, which will be played from the 5th to the 9th of May, will count on the participation of 25 teams, seven of which are WorldTeam, eight ProTeam and 10 in the Continental category.
Among the formations that visit the Algarve are the two best in the collective world ranking, the Belgian Deceuninck-Quick-Step and the British Ineos Grenadiers. The number five in the world, UAE Team Emirates, and the sixth best placed in the ranking, Germany's Bora-hansgrohe, will also participate.
The French AG2R Citroën Team returns to the Volta ao Algarve, after an absence of eight years from the Portuguese race. The WorldTeam contingent is completed by two teams that are a regular presence on the Algarve's roads, the Gallic Groupama-FDJ and the Belgian Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux.
Spanish cycling will be represented by the country's four ProTeams, Burgos-BH, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Equipo Kern Pharma and Euskaltel-Euskadi. Two teams from the second international level arrive from France, Delko and Team Arkéa-Samsic. The Belgian Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB and the American Rally Cycling are also among the ProTeam guests.
The Volta ao Algarve will be an opportunity for Portuguese teams to measure forces with international teams in a ProSeries race.
Therefore, the nine Continental blocks of the country participate: Antarte-Fairense, Tuna General-Tavira-Maria Nova Hotel, Efapel, Kelly-Simoldes-UDO, LA Alumínios-LA Sport, Louletano-Loulé Concelho, Rádio Popular-Boavista, Tavfer- Measindot-Mortágua and W52-FC Porto.
The peloton is completed with a Continental team coming from abroad, but with great importance for Portuguese cycling, Hagens Berman Axeon, gateway to international cycling for many of the Portuguese who are currently evolving in WorldTour, such as João Almeida, Rúben Guerreiro and the twins Ivo and Rui Oliveira.
The team led by Axel Merckx presents itself in the Algarve with the two Portuguese who are in the 2021 squad, Diogo Barbosa and Pedro Andrade.
Usually held in February, in 2021 «the Volta ao Algarve had to be postponed to May, due to the pandemic», says the Portuguese Cycling Federation.
Despite this, "the prestige gained in previous editions allowed to attract, once again, a range of high quality teams", and, "once again, it was not possible to welcome all the teams from the three international categories of the sport that expressed interest in participating in the test".
Steps
5/05/2021: Lagos – Portimão, 189,5 km
6/05/2021: Sagres – Foia, 192,8 km
7 / 05 / 2021: Faro – Tavira, 203,1 km
May 8, 05: Lagoa – Lagoa, 2021 km
9/05/2021: Albufeira – Malhão, 170,1 km
Comments