Volta ao Algarve starts today with 167 riders from Portimão

The 48th Volta ao Algarve starts this Wednesday, with a 199,1 kilometer stage between Portimão and Lagos, with a predictable arrival at the sprint. The UCI ProSeries class race will be contested by 167 riders, representing 25 teams.

The list of participants was confirmed yesterday afternoon, in Portimão, knowing that the Volta ao Algarve will be disputed by 19 runners from the top 100 of the ranking world. There are 24 countries represented in the peloton, where nine national champion cyclists in the elite category also ride.

One of the main absences is that of the 2021 winner, João Rodrigues (W52-FC Porto). However, the riders who accompanied the Algarve rider on last year's podium will be present, such as the British, Ethan Hayter (INEOS Grenadiers) and the Danish, Kasper Asgreen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team). They will also be joined by the winners of the 2020 editions, Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), 2015 and 2016, Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers), among many other big names in world cycling.

Competing in this 48th edition of the Volta ao Algarve, which is going to be very competitive, will be attended by riders who have already triumphed in UCI competitions this season, which already demonstrates their good physical condition.

This is the case of recent Colombian champions Sergio Higuita (Bora-hansgrohe), and time trial, Daniel Martinez (INEOS Grenadiers), but also Fabio Jakobsen (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Alexander Kristoff (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) and Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates).

The list of international stars with the ability to fight for the general also includes the two-time European time trial champion Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) and teammate David Gaudu, Joseph Dombrowski (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Ion Izaguirre (Cofidis), Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma) and Warren Barguil (Team Arkéa-Samsic).

In addition to the sprinters who have already won in 2022, Jordi Meeus (Bora-hansgrohe), Tim Merlier (Alpecin Fenix) and Hugo Hofstetter (Team Arkéa-Samsic) also stand out among the runners in competition.

In this edition of the race, we can also count on the presence of runners who also excel in other aspects besides the road. Among them is the British Thomas Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers), Olympic XCO (BTT) champion and world cyclocross champion, but also the Portuguese Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates), current elite European champion in Scratch (track cycling).

The Gaiense will be one of the four Portuguese representing foreign teams that will be competing in the Algarve, joining Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates), Iúri Leitão (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and André Carvalho (Cofidis).

Given the quality of this squad, the Portuguese mainland teams will not have their work made easy. They will have to use their best weapons to outperform their opponents and be protagonists in an event with strong national and international media coverage.

The Volta ao Algarve will be broadcast live on CMTV and Eurosport 2, between 16 pm and 00 pm, will be broadcast in more than 17 countries (via Eurosport and GCN platform) and will be accompanied on the ground by more than 00 media professionals.

The Volta ao Algarve annually awards the Prestige Prize to one of the participants in the event who, due to their curriculum, contributes to enhance the event. For the first time, in 2022 the Prestige Prize will not be awarded to a cyclist. This time, a sporting director, the Belgian Hilaire van der Schueren, will be highlighted.

Despite not having been a cyclist, Hilaire van der Schueren has built a solid career spanning more than 30 years as a sports director. He was one of the first international team leaders to recognize the importance of the Volta ao Algarve for top riders and teams, helping the race to consolidate itself as a world reference event.

Currently sporting director of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, Hilaire van der Schueren will receive the Prestige Award at the start of the second stage in Albufeira.