Lampre-Merida have gathered most of their best riders for the Volta ao Algarve which starts tomorrow. Rui Costa and Chris Horner will make a rare appearance together while Sacha Modolo will try to continue his recent success in the sprints.

Lampre-Merida have had a highly successful start to the season and they will try to keep the ball rolling when they line up most of their best riders for the Volta ao Algarve which kicks off tomorrow. The race will be a rare chance for world champion Rui Costa to race on home soil and he has made it clear that he wants to perform well in front of his home fans.

He will be riding with Chris Horner in one of their rare appearances together in a 2014 season that will see Costa focus on the Tour de France and Horner target the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. Both riders showed great condition in the Challenge Mallorca and should be in GC contention in Algarve as well even though Horner will be hampered by the 13.6km time trial.

For the sprint stages, the team will line up their three marquee sprinters Sacha Modolo, Maximiliano Richeze, and Roberto Ferrari. The duo of Modolo and Richeze have proved to be a winning one in the early part of the season, with the Argentinean leading out the Italian for two wins in Mallorca and one in the Tour de San Luis. Ferrari showed solid condition in the sprint stages in the Dubai Tour.

The team will be completed by local TT specialist Nelson Oliveira and the talented young climbers Jan Polanc and Mattia Cattaneo.

We will have a preview of the race online later today.

Lampre-Merida for the Volta ao Algarve:

Chris Horner, Rui Costa, Jan Polanc, Mattia Cattaneo, Nelson Oliveira, Sacha Modolo, Maximilano Richeze and Roberto Ferrari