The 42nd Volta ao Algarve (February 17-21) will have a route for all kind of riders, but only a complete cyclist can win the final yellow jersey. Five stages, one of them an individual time trial, and a total of 756,6 km is the menu for a peloton of 24 teams.

 

The first stage covers 178.6 km between Lagos and Albufeira. One can expect a really fast final with the best sprinters fighting for the first win.

 

The queen stage is the second, a very long journey of 200km from Lagoa to Fóia, the highest point of Algarve (904m). The finish line is at the top of a first category climb (75 km with 6% of average gradient). In the last 67km the riders will find three third category climbs, Marmelete, Picota, Pomba, before the first category Fóia.

 

The time triallists will have their chance on the third stage, an individual exercise of 18km around Sagres. The first 4.5 km are technical but then the real experts can recover the time lost in the second stage. The wind is strong in some places and can be an extra opponent.

 

The fourth stage, 187.3km from São Brás de Alportel to Tavira, is the second chace for the sprinters. The first 100km of the stage have some up-and-down route, but the second part of the trip is quite flat.

 

The last day will be a very busy day for all the riders with the yellow jersey on their mind. The trip begins in Almodôvar and ends after 172.7km at the top of Malhão, a second category climb of 2,5km and an average gradient of 9.4%. At 45 km from the finish, the riders will pass at Malhão for the first time before they will tackle a hilly terrain that resembles the Spring Classics, with short but steep ascents. The final 2.5 km, ascending to the top of Malhão, are expected to be really exciting, with a big crowd – this is the day of Algarve Granfondo – and an incessant struggle for glory.

 

Stages

Stage 1: Lagos – Albufeira, 187,6 km

Stage 2: Lagoa – Fóia, 200 km

Stage 3: Sagres – Sagres, 18 km ITT

Stage 4: S. Brás de Alportel – Tavira, 187,3 km

Stage 5: Almodôvar – Malhão, 172,7 km

 

Teams already confirmed

WorldTour: Astana, Cannondale, Etixx-QuickStep, FDJ, IAM Cycling, Katusha, Lotto Soudal, Lotto NL-Jumbo, Movistar, Team Sky, Tinkoff, Trek Factory Racing.

Professional Continental: Bora-Argon 18, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Gazprom-RusVelo, Novo Nordisk, Roth-Skoda and Verva ActiveJet.

Continental: All the Portuguese Teams, probably six teams.

 

Last Winners

2015 - Geraint Thomas (GBR) - Team Sky

2014 - Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) - Omega Pharma-QuickStep

2013 - Tony Martin (GER) - Omega Pharma-QuickStep

2012 - Richie Porte (AUS) - Team Sky

2011 - Tony Martin (GER) - HTC-HighRoad

2010 - Alberto Contador (ESP) - Astana

2009 - Alberto Contador (ESP) - Astana

2008 - Stijn Devolder (BEL) - QuickStep-Innergetic

2007 - Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) - Milram

 

Last Stage winners

Albufeira

2015 - Gianni Meersman (Etixx-QuickStep)

2014 - Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida)

2013 - Paul Martens (Blanco)

2012 - Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol)

2011 - Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto)

 

Fóia

2002 - Alex Zülle (Team Coast)

2001 - José Azevedo (ONCE)

2000 - José Azevedo (Maia-MSS)

1999 - Andreas Klöden (Team Deutsche Telekom)

1998 - Grischa Niermann (Die Continentale-Olympia)

 

Sagres

2015 - Tony Martin (Etixx-QuickStep)

2014 - Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)

 

Tavira

2013 - Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)

2012 - Gerald Ciolek (Omega Pharma-QuickStep)

2011 - André Greipel (Omega Pharma-Lotto)

2010 - Sebastien Rosseler (RadioShack)

2009 - Alberto Contador (Astana)

 

Malhão

2015 - Richie Porte (Sky)

2014 - Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo)

2013 - Sergio Henao (Sky)

2012 - Richie Porte (Sky)

2011 - Stephen Cummings (Sky)