The winner of the Volta ao Algarve in 2015 and 2016, with six participations to his name, Geraint Thomas has become a familiar figure in Portugal's best-known early-season stage race over the last decade.
However, after his announcement earlier this week of his retirement at the end of 2025, there could be little doubt that this year's race start at Portimão on Wednesday was probably the most special of his career.
"I kind of knew about it for a while, to be honest, so it was kind of weird to just announce it to everyone," Thomas told reporters, including Cyclingnews, at the sign-on at Portimão's riverfront.
"It wasn't like it was a secret of anything and I was surprised it had such an impact on the media back home in the UK.
"But it's nice to announce it now because then I can just really enjoy this last year, knowing that that's what it is, it's out there and stuff. I'm looking forward to this race now."
Thomas' 19th and final road season began at the Tour Down Under before he took on the Surf Coast Classic and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race. Last week, he travelled to Portugal for his first and only participation in the Figueira Champions Classic.
However, the Volta ao Algarve, an event with which he is far more familiar, is his first race since announcing his retirement on Monday.
"I'll try and soak it up, because you know it's not going to last forever. It's a great life being a professional athlete, so I want to really make the most of it, and just try and enjoy the racing, being with the boys," Thomas said.
"I want to really make the most of it. The racing has still got a toughness about it, things like losing weight and so on, and I'll try to enjoy all of it."
After so much early success in Algarve, Thomas recognised that it was a long time since he had been a major contender in the five-day early season race, back when he was honing his form for the Spring Classics.
Rather than the cobbles of Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix – both of which he'll miss completely this year – Thomas' major targets in his final year as a pro are much later in the season.
That said, adding another victory to his career total of 25, is very much in his last hitlist as a pro racer, no matter the date.
"I'll suffer round for the moment, work hard in the next month, do my bit for the boys. It'd be nice to try and win a race in my last season and I'd love to go to the Tour de France one more time, we'll see."
Thomas is expected to take part in Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya before the Tour of Romandie. However, he admitted he had a soft spot for Algarve, too, given it's a race where he's had his fair share of success in the past.
"It's a nice route, obviously it's changed a lot this year with the final TT" – the first uphill race against the clock in the history of the race – "but I've always found it's a nice way to start.
"Earlier in my career, I was lot more ready to race here, so now it's a slower build. But I've always enjoyed racing here, whatever."
