Volta ao Algarve 2020 – Preview

LOULE PORTUGAL FEBRUARY 24 Shadow Silhouette Landscape Peloton during the 45th Volta ao Algarve Stage 5 a 1735km stage from Faro to Alto Do Malho 518m Loul VA VAlgarve2019 on February 24 2019 in Loul Portugal Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Riders in the sun of Portugal's south coast at the Volta ao Algarve (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

One of the raft of races making up part of the new ProSeries category, the Volta ao Algarve is perhaps the premier early season European test. Now in its 46th edition, the race has evolved from primarily a domestic affair – won twice by the current Volta a Portugal director Joaquim Gomes – into a key event for much of the WorldTour.

Held in October and then May in the 1960s and 1970s, the race has gradually shifted earlier in the calendar, finally moving to its current mid-February date in 2001. The final shift heralded an ever-greater influx of foreign top level teams, to the extent that only three Portuguese riders have won since, with Cândido Barbosa the most prominent among them.

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.

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