The 2024 Volta ao Algarve will feature a rolling 22km time trial that is likely to appeal to riders preparing for the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia. As per tradition, the route includes summit finishes on the Alto da Fóia and the Alto do Malhão.
The race takes place from February 14-18 and it gets underway with a 200km stage from Portimão to Lagos, where the sprinters should be to the fore on the Avenida dos Descobrimentos.
Stage 2 brings the peloton into the Serra de Monchique, where the race takes in 172km and the ascents of Alferce and Pomba ahead of the summit finale on the Alto da Fóia, where Tadej Pogačar claimed his first professional win in 2019.
The third day of racing – a 192km run from Vila Real de Santo António to Tavira – is nominally one for the sprinters, though in 2023, Filippo Ganna’s forcing on the same finale forced a split that ultimately helped to tee up Magnus Cort’s dramatic victory.
The time trial on stage 4 follows an undulating course around Albufeira that will provide a most useful work out for riders with designs on the time trial-heavy Giro or Tour.
The final stage to the Alto do Malhão again promises to be an explosive affair. The 166km day takes in the climbs of Vermelhos and Alte ahead of a double ascent of the short, sharp Malhão.
Ten WorldTour teams have already confirmed their participation at the 2024 Volta ao Algarve, with Alpecin-Deceuninck, Arkea-B&B Hotels, Astana Qazaqstan, Bora-Hansgrohe, DSM-Firmenich PostNL, EF Education-EasyPost, Groupama-FDJ, Lidl-Trek, Soudal-QuickStep, and UAE Team Emirates all set to feature.
ProTeams Uno-X, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Tudor Pro Cycling will also line out in Portugal in February.
Wout van Aert and Visma-Lease A Bike have also been linked with a possible participation, though their presence has not been officially confirmed.
It is also not certain if Ineos Grenadiers, who won last year’s edition with Dani Martínez, will participate in the race, while Movistar have seemingly opted out in order to focus on the Tour Colombia 2.1.
Het Laatste Nieuws recently reported that 2020 and 2022 winner Remco Evenepoel is poised to return to the Volta a Algarve, though his programme is unlikely to be confirmed before the Soudal-QuickStep team presentation in early January.
