The 50th Tour of the Algarve by bicycle begins this Wednesday, February 14th, in an edition «which is expected to be memorable due to the excellent group of 175 registered riders».
The latest update to the list of participants confirms that we will have in the Algarve a squad with more than 20 runners from the world's top 100 - the weekly ranking update will only take place tomorrow -, but also 16 defending champions, including world, Olympic, national and continental champions , road, but also other aspects of the sport.
The departure of João Almeida from the list of entries, due to being in a period of post-illness recovery, was compensated by the entry of Isaac del Toro, a young man from UAE Team Emirates, winner of the Tour de France of the Future in 2023, but also a runner who has already made the podium in the Volta ao Algarve, the German Maximilian Schachmann (BORA-hansgrohe), second placed in the 2020 edition of the only Portuguese stage race on the UCI ProSeries circuit.
The main stars previously announced remain on the list of entries sent by the teams to the organization, notably Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), Wout van Aert and Sepp Kuss (Team Visma |Lease a Bike), Geraint Thomas, Thomas Pidcock and Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek), Daniel Felipe Martínez (BORA-hansgrohe), Ben Healy and Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Arnaud Démare (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Jordi Meeus (BORA-hansgrohe), Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty), Casper van Uden (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL) or Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility).
The final list of participants will be announced late this Tuesday afternoon.
The Volta ao Algarve route maintains the characteristics that make it appealing for the time of year in which it takes place, offering opportunities for sprinters, climbers and time trialists, as well as the opportunity for teams to prepare, in a high-level competition, the automatisms that could lead to success throughout the season.
Portimão hosts the start of the competition, being the place for the teams to present themselves and the start of the 200,8 kilometers that will take the caravan to Lagos, where a discussion of the sprint is expected. The second stage leaves from Lagoa and arrives, after covering 171,9 kilometers, at the top of Fóia. The final phase of the race, passing through the steep climb to Pomba and with a bonus-priced finishing line already after Monchique and in the middle of the climb towards the finish line, promises excitement.
The sprinters should have another opportunity in the third stage, 192,2 kilometers to be covered between Vila Real de Santo António and Tavira, in a one-day tour of the eastern end of Sotavento and the Guadiana landscape.
The big news of the 50th edition appears on the fourth day. This is an unprecedented 22-kilometre time trial, departing from Albufeira Marina and arriving at the Town Hall of the same city. The race ends with the long-awaited stage ending at the top of Malhão. This time it will be 165,8 kilometers, starting in Faro.
Participating Teams
WorldTeams: Alpecin-Deceuninck (Belgium), Arkea-B&B Hotels (France), Astana Qazaqstan Team (Kazakhstan), BORA-hansgrohe (Germany), EF Education-EasyPost (USA), Groupama-FDJ (France), INEOS Grenadiers (Kingdom United), Intermarché-Wanty (Belgium), Lidl-Trek (USA), Soudal Quick-Step (Belgium), Team dsm-firmenich PostNL (Netherlands), Team Visma | Lease a Bike (Netherlands) and UAE Team Emirates (United Arab Emirates).
ProTeams: Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Spain), Tudor Pro Cycling (Switzerland) and Uno-X Pro Cycling Team (Norway).
Continental Teams: ABTF Betão-Feirense (Portugal), AP Hotels & Resorts-Tavira-SC Farense (Portugal), Aviludo-Louletano-Loulé Concelho (Portugal), Credibom-LA Alumínios-Marcos Car (Portugal), Efapel Cycling (Portugal) , Kelly-Simoldes-UDO (Portugal), Rádio Popular-Paredes-Boavista (Portugal), Sabgal-Anicolor (Portugal) and Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua (Portugal).
Route
14/02/2024 – 1st Stage: Portimão – Lagos, 200,8 km
15/02/2024 – 2nd Stage: Lagoa – Alto da Fóia, 171,9 km
16/02/2024 – 3rd Stage: Vila Real de Santo António – Tavira, 192,2 km
17/02/2024 – 4th Stage: Albufeira – Albufeira, 22 km (CRI)
18/02/2024 – 5th Stage: Faro – Alto do Malhão, 165,8 km
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