2026 Volta ao Algarve preview - New Foiá ascent and Double Malhão climb promise early-season thrills

The Volta ao Algarve is one of the most popular early-season stage races, taking place in the Algarve region in Portugal. 

The 2026 edition looks set to feature a very strong start list for a race on the UCI ProSeries, as is often the case with Geraint Thomas, Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar, João Rodrigues, Remco Evenepoel, Daniel Felipe Martínez, and Jonas Vingegaard being the winners over the last decade.

Last year's edition was a memorable one for a plethora of reasons. The opening stage drew plenty of attention when Filippo Ganna crossed the line first, as the majority of the peloton headed in the wrong direction inside the final kilometre, with the stage ultimately being cancelled shortly after.

Jan Christen's daring attack on the Alto da Foia saw the young Swiss rider win the stage and take the race lead, with his teammate João Almeida alongside in a 1-2 finish. Christen would remain as race leader as Belgian sprinters Jordi Meeus and Milan Fretin claimed the next two stages. 

The race came down to the final stage time trial, which finished on the Alto da Malhão, and it was a textbook comeback from Jonas Vingegaard, who secured both the stage win and yellow jersey. Almeida and Laurens De Plus would join the Dane on the final podium as Christen slipped to 10th.

The route for the Volta ao Algarve isn’t annually set in stone, but there are plenty of features that have become synonymous with the race, and often define each edition, such as the Alto do Malhão, Alto da Fóia, and an all-important race against the clock. 

These defining features of the Volta ao Algarve are present once more in 2026, but the key theme that the race organisers have highlighted for this year’s race is innovation. 

This can be seen through the introduction of a Golden Kilometre on the opening stage, a new ascent of the Alto da Foia, and a double ascent of the Alto do Malhão.

Stage 1 marks the first time the Volta ao Algarve will start in Vila Real de Santo António, with the town more commonly hosting a stage later on in the race. Just like when Vila Real de Santo António hosted the start of stage 3 in 2025, a sprint finish is expected in the neighbouring town of Tavira. 

On that occasion, Belgian rider Jordi Meeus took the spoils, and as part of the race organisers' innovative plans, this stage will see the introduction of the “golden kilometre” commonly seen in Belgian-hosted races such as the Renewi Tour and the Baloise Belgium Tour, where multiple bonus seconds can be gained.

A visit to Fóia takes its regular spot as the finale of stage 2, with the summit finish on the Alto da Fóia often serving as an arena for an uphill sprint between a reduced group of general classification contenders. 

However, continuing with the theme of innovation, the race organisers have scoped out an entirely new ascent for the riders to take on, and it’s far less likely to see a sprint of any sort at the summit. 

In total, the climb is 8.5km in length, with multiple hairpin bends and sustained sections at 14%. It’s a climb that has the potential to shake up the general classification battle significantly.

As is often the case in the Algarve, the general classification contenders will need to have their time trial set-ups dialled in, as stage 3 presents a 19.5km individual effort against the clock.

Stage 4 begins in Albufeira and should see a sprint finish after 182.1km in Lagos, though there are sections, including in Aljezur, where two bonus sprints in the space of one kilometre could create some splits that need closing before the sprint shootout.

Finally, the 52nd Volta ao Algarve will round out with a stage that is defined by the well-recognised Alto do Malhão ascent in Loulé. As for the final piece of innovation, the race organisers have implemented a double ascent of the climb, as part of a 45km final circuit. 

As usual, the Alto do Malhão has the hallmarks to produce fireworks, and a double ascent will only make things more intriguing as the battle for the general classification and the Volta ao Algarve draws to a dramatic close.

Among those who are set to battle it out for overall glory on this route include home rider João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who will be seeking revenge after narrowly missing out on overall glory twelve months ago. Almeida has started his 2026 season by finishing runner-up at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana behind Remco Evenepoel, who has made an excellent start to life at Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe.

After 5th at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) will also line up in the Algarve, and the American has a strong track record in week-long stage races. 2025 saw McNulty win the GC at the Tour de Pologne, Skoda Tour de Luxembourg and CRO Race, and he has previously finished second overall at the Volta ao Algarve back in 2022. McNulty also impressed at the Figueira Champions Classic where he helped in-form teammate António Morgado (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to victory, whilst also finishing 6th. Morgado is one of the riders to watch this week, with the Portuguese rider in great form, and due to his versatility. 

Both Almeida and McNulty stand out as two riders who could gain time over the competition on stage 3’s individual time trial, which could prove to be significant come the end of the week.

UAE will face stiff competition in the Algarve from a different Red Bull rider, Tour de France podium finisher, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). Lipowitz will once again head to the Tour de France in July, where he will spearhead the German team’s GC ambitions alongside Evenepoel. 

But first, a debut in the Algarve awaits the German, who was part of the winning team at the early-season Trofeo Ses Salines time trial. The last German winner of the Volta ao Algarve was Tony Martin in 2013, and Lipowitz could be the rider to end that wait.

Red Bull has options beyond the talented German, as Daniel Felipe Martínez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) finished on the podium for three consecutive editions from 2022 to 2024, including winning overall in 2023. 

Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) will be making his debut at both the race and for his new team. The 23-year-old was up and running quickly last season, winning on both his second and third race days, before winning Tirreno-Adriatico, and will be hoping to make a similar start here. 

The Volta ao Algarve presents the first opportunity for Ayuso to work on his GC preparations ahead of the Tour de France, where he is pencilled to lead Lidl-Trek in the mountains. Ayuso will also be among the GC contenders looking to capitalise on stage 3's individual time trial, with four time trial victories in his career so far.

Fellow new signing Derek Gee-West was also set to make his Lidl-Trek debut in Portugal, but the Canadian champion replaced an ill Giulio Ciccone at the UAE Tour. 

Instead, watch out for Lennard Kämna (Lidl-Trek) alongside Ayuso, who, after suffering a disrupted 2024 season, showed signs of returning to his old self in 2025 with a 6th-place finish at the Tour de Suisse, for example. Kämna finished 7th in the Algarve back in 2020.

Ineos Grenadiers boast a well-rounded team that features two new signings in Oscar Onley (Ineos Grenadiers) and Kévin Vauquelin (Ineos Grenadiers). Both riders were stars in the former teams in 2025, most notably at the Tour de France, and both could provide a big boost to the British team’s GC options. 

One rider who was already with the team and enjoyed a successful Tour de France with two stages is Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers). The dynamic between the trio will be an interesting watch this week, as they are all capable of producing a top result in the GC.

The highly talented Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) will kick off his second season as a professional in the Algarve and, despite being only 19 years old, is a bona fide general classification contender. The Tour de l’Avenir winner’s best GC result last season was an eighth-place finish at the Critérium du Dauphiné, proving he has the credentials to compete on all fronts in Portugal. 

The French team have numbers to play, as Vuelta a España white jersey winner and fifth place finisher, Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM), will make his debut at the race, and has started his season with a bang by taking a stage and the GC at the Tour de la Provence just a few days ago.

Rising British GC prospect Max Poole (Picnic PostNL), who narrowly missed out on the top 10 at the Italian Grand Tour in 2025, finishing 11th, is one to watch for British fans, alongside Thomas Gloag (Pinarello-Q36.5), who made a good start to life with the second division team at the Figueira Champions Classic after his switch from Visma | Lease a Bike.

Under-23 European Champion Jarno Widar (Lotto-Intermarché) will also make his full-time debut in the WorldTour after stepping up to the professional ranks over the winter. Widar finished 4th at the Figueira Champions Classic. 

Beyond the GC battle, there’s a strong field of sprinters taking to the start line in Portugal. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) kicks off his 2026 season, returning to the Volta ao Algarve for the first time since 2019. 

On that occasion, he was a UAE Team Emirates-XRG and was part of the winning team as Tadej Pogačar picked up his first professional stage race victory. 

Now firmly established as one of the heavyweights of sprinting, Philipsen will be a marked man on the two sprint opportunities in the race. Tour de France stage winner Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Premier Tech) also features on the provisional start list alongside Philipsen, and one of the best sprinters in the business, particularly after an arduous stage.

Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) enjoyed a prolific 2025 with 19 victories, a tally only bettered by the World Champion Tadej Pogačar. Magnier started his 2026 season at the Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana with a second-place finish, but will be looking for gold in his debut in the Algarve. 

Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Intermarché), Pavel Bittner (Picnic-PostNL), Matteo Moschetti (Pinarello-Q36.5), Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers), Hugo Hofstetter (NSN) and 2025 stage winner Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) are also some of the names on the provisional start list who should be in the sprint finish battles and currently sit in the top 150 of the UCI rankings.

Other riders who are on the start list include former two-time World Champion Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), and former podium finisher Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers), who crossed the line first on the opening stage twelve months ago before the stage was cancelled after most of the peloton went the wrong direction inside the final kilometre.