The 52nd version of the Volta ao Algarve runs for 5 levels from February 18 to February 22, taking in a time trial, two summit finishes, and two dash levels. The race is a vital early-season take a look at for a bunch of riders, together with many who’re making their 2026 season debuts.
Earlier winners Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel will not be returning to participate on this 12 months’s race, however there are many attention-grabbing names to control between Vila Actual de Santo António and Malhão this week.
A number of high sprinters are heading to the Algarve, together with Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep), and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarché), who will hope to carry out on the levels to Tavira and Lagos, whereas time trial specialists together with Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) and Stefan Küng (Tudor) will intention the 19.5km TT in Vilamoura.
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We have picked out 5 of the highest GC contenders racing at this 12 months’s Volta ao Algarve; nevertheless, a bunch of riders who will look to carry out within the time trial and on the two main uphill challenges on the race at Fóia and Malhão.
João Almeida (UAE Workforce Emirates-XRG)
Dwelling favorite João Almeida was the runner-up final 12 months and can put on the primary dossard this time round. He completed ninth and sixth in two earlier participations earlier than taking second behind Vingegaard final February.
Almeida has a swathe of main stage races on his palmarès, together with wins final 12 months at Itzulia Basque Nation, the Tour de Suisse, and Tour de Pologne. Earlier this month, he opened his 2026 account with a second place on the Volta Comunitat Valenciana, and he’ll be hoping to return to profitable methods on house floor and add this title to his assortment.
The 27-year-old is continuous his journey to steer UAE on the Giro d’Italia in Could, the place he’ll do battle with Vingegaard for the maglia rosa. Stops at Paris-Good and the Volta a Catalunya are subsequent on the checklist.
Almeida leads the group at this 12 months’s race, and he’ll be backed up by a number of compatriots – António Morgado and Ivo and Rui Oliveira. Brandon McNulty must also be an incredible assist in a super-domestique function.
Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM)
French teen Paul Seixas is getting his 2026 marketing campaign underway in Portugal, marking a change from final 12 months, when he made his professional debut on the GP La Marseillaise and UAE Tour.
In 2025, Seixas received the Tour de l’Avenir along with taking eighth general on the Critérium du Dauphine, third within the European Championships street race, and seventh at Il Lombardia. The 19-year-old is the rising star of French biking and appears to be the nation’s subsequent nice Tour de France hope.
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This spring, Algarve kicks off his street to the Ardennes Classics, with Strade Bianche and Itzulia Basque Nation additionally that includes as stops en path to a Liège-Bastogne-Liège debut.
Seixas shall be backed up by a number of members of the Decathlon-CMA CGM Classics group in Oliver Naesen, Sander De Pestel and Stan Dewulf. 23-year-old Matthew Riccitello, a brand new signing for 2026, is one to look at, too. The American rider triumphed on his season debut on the Tour de la Provence earlier this week.
Oscar Onley (Ineos Grenadiers)
23-year-old Oscar Onley heads up an Ineos Grenadiers choice which is certain to be carefully watched this week, containing because it does one other Ineos newcomer in French racer Kévin Vauquelin.
The pair completed fourth and seventh eventually 12 months’s Tour de France for Picnic-PostNL and the now-defunct Arkéa-B&B Inns, respectively, they usually’re the most important additions to Ineos Grenadiers for the 2026 season.
Neither man has but raced in 2026, with Vauquelin struggling a leg fracture shortly after the Tour, which guidelines him out for the rest of 2025. Onley went on to complete fourth on the Tour of Britain and make his elite Street World Championships debut, nevertheless.
The pair will group up with one other GC hopeful in Thymen Arensman to go up a strong Ineos choice this week, with all three fairly in line for a powerful problem on the high of the standings, relying on kind. Elsewhere, the squad can look to Filippo Ganna within the time trial and Ben Turner within the sprints.
Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek)
Spanish racer Juan Ayuso is one other rider on our checklist making his debut with a brand new squad at this 12 months’s Volta ao Algarve. The 23-year-old will lead Lidl-Trek for the primary time following an acrimonious break up with UAE Workforce Emirates-XRG.
Ayuso’s 2025 was an up-and-down affair, which noticed him win Tirreno-Adriatico and three levels throughout the Giro and Vuelta regardless of failing to complete the previous and ending up 68th on the latter. He’ll be hoping for extra consistency and extra harmonious relationships in 2026 at his new group.
Algarve is the primary in a trio of stage races on Ayuso’s schedule this spring, with Paris-Good and Itzulia Basque Nation additionally on the best way earlier than the Ardennes Classics and, in the summertime, a shot on the Tour de France.
He’ll be backed up by fellow Spaniards Héctor Alvarez and Carlos Verona this week, whereas Toms Skujinš and Lennard Kämna are different notable names within the Lidl-Trek choice.
Florian Lipowitz (Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
With Remco Evenepoel off on the UAE Tour, aiming to proceed his flying begin to 2026, the Belgian’s Tour de France co-leader, Florian Lipowitz, will make his 2026 stage race debut right here.
The pair already teamed up as a part of Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s profitable TTT effort on the Trofeo Ses Salines on the finish of January, although that is Lipowitz’s first race since then. He’ll lead a Purple Bull selecti on which incorporates 2023 race winner Dani Martínez, although he is the undisputed GC chief this week.
Lipowitz will line up in Portugal as one of many large favourites for the GC, having grown into one of many high stage racers on this planet throughout his three years at Purple Bull. Final 12 months noticed podiums at Paris-Good and the Critérium du Dauphiné lead into one other on the Tour, the place he took third place and the white jersey as finest younger rider.
If his constant progress to date in his profession is something to go by, he needs to be a rider to be feared in 2026.
