Volta ao Algarve presentation
The time for Volta ao Algarve 2018 has come. This event is presumably the most prestigious cycling race in the Lusitanian country thanks to its 2.HC status and to the prestigious course participants. A lot of top teams look into Portuguese race as a perfect place to develop their athletes’ condition and to test their consistency. Scheduled between 14 and 18 February, the 2018 edition of the Volta ao Algarve hosts twentyfive teams and more than the half of those, thirteen, are WorldTeams. Primoz Roglic, former winner of this race, will not race despite his team Lotto Nl – Jumbo, is participating.
Official hashtag: #VAlgarve18
Volta ao Algarve 2018 Gold Book
2017 ROGLIC Primoz
2016 THOMAS Geraint
2015 THOMAS Geraint
2014 KWIATKOWSKI Michal
2013 MARTIN Tony
2012 PORTE Richie
2011 MARTIN Tony
2010 CONTADOR Alberto
2009 CONTADOR Alberto
2008 DEVOLDER Stijn
Volta ao Algarve 2018 Favourites
The rider approaching the Volta ao Algarve who has achieved the most in the first month of this season is Richie Porte. Together with Tejay Van Garderen he will lead BMC with the goal with a view to the overall victory. Bob Jungels (Quick Step Floors), Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates), Team Sky couple Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski, Louis Meintjes (Dimension Data), Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) and
Simon Spilak (Katusha-Alpecin) will presumably be the Tasmanian most aggressive competitors.
Other riders who can play their cards along the Portuguese course are Felix Grosschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe), Eduardo Sepulveda and Rafael Valls (Movistar), Peter Serry (Quick Step Floors), Igor Anton (Dimension Data), Thiago Machado (Katusha-Alpecin), Sam Oomen and Jai Hindley (Sunweb) and Jan Polanc (UAE Team Emirates). Although the course does not grant an ideal terrain for Classics-targeting riders, men like Simon Gerrans (BMC), Philippe Gilbert (Quick Step Floors) and Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), the last of those has won two editions of this race when a lesser extend of climbs were planned, can make their voices heard.
The sprints will be the battleground of Dylan Groenewegen (Lotto Nl-Jumbo), Arnaud Demare (FDJ, led-out by a trains of respect of which Ramon Sinkeldam Davide Cimolai will be part), John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), Timothy Dupond (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Jurgen Roelandts (BMC), Matteo Pelucchi (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jens Debusschere Jens Keukeleire (Lotto-Soudal), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Hugo Hofstetter (Cofidis).
Portuguese continental teams couldn’t wait for this race to grandstand in the international panorama. Alejandro Marque and Rinaldo Nocentini (Sporting-Tavira), Joao Benta and Yuri Trofimov (Radio Popular-Boavista), Rui Vinhas (W52-Porto), Jesus Del Pino (Efapel) and Vicente Garcia (Aviludo-Louletano-Uli) are looking for the Algarve climbs whereas W52-Porto’s Samuel Caldeira, Cesar Fonte and Ricardo Mestre will share their duties in the sprints.
Volta ao Algarve 2018 Course
Two stages devoted to climbers, two stages in favour of sprinters and one individual time trial. Volta ao Algarve 2018’s course sets aside five treats which suit all tastes. First stage, 192-kilometres-long Albufeira-Lagos, and stage four, 199-kilometers-long Almodovar-Tavira, are hunting ground for sprinters: in fatcs, the flat courses favour the fast wheels. Sagres-Alto de Foia (188 kms) stage finishes on a selective 15-kilometers-long up-hill and last stage from Faro to Malhao (173 kms) ends with a three-kilometers testing ascent, which slopes exceed 10% gradient over two different sections. 20-kilometers individual time trial will be the umpire of the race and can change the game.
14/2 First Stage: Albufeira > Lagos (192,6 km)
15/2 Second Stage: Sagres >Fóia (187,9 km)
16/2 Third Stage: Lagoa > Lagoa (20,3 km) [ITT]
17/2 Fourth Stage: Almodôvar > Tavira (199,2 km)
18/2 Fifth Stage: Faro > Malhão (173,5 km)
Volta ao Algarve 2018 Stage Profiles
Stage 1 Profile
Stage 2 profile
Stage 3 profile
Stage 4 profile
Stage 5 profile
