Tomorrow will begin the 71th Volta a Portugal, the route begins in Lisboa and the riders only will go east and north, a total of 1601km. Algarve and Alentejo will miss the peloton this year. (is almost like half-Portugal!!)

Volta a Portugal has a big history and is the showcase for our riders: Joaquim Agostinho, Marco Chagas, Alves Barbosa and more recently Orlando Rodrigues, José Azevedo, Candido Barbosa are icons of our national cycling and all of them left their mark in this race. The phenomenon in cycling of the fans who only see the TdF, happens here the same way with Volta a Portugal, portuguese doesn’t follow the national cycling but mostly see the Volta. For the portuguese teams this race could define a good from a bad season, i believe that most of the portuguese teams wouldn’t exist if this race hadn’t the media that has.

So like i said, Lisboa will open the race with a prologue of 2.4km, in the main avenue of our capital, the Avenida da Liberdade. Some years ago that the race didn’t go to Lisboa, but despite the show that will be, a beautiful one, i think is not the best idea start here because most of the people are in vacations, and the Algarve like last year should have more supporters in the streets.

Next day is the longest, probably will finish in a bunch sprint and Petacchi has his first opportunity. His main opponent will be our best sprinter Manuel Cardoso (Liberty Seguros), and currently our national champion. Candido Barbosa (Palmeiras Resort Tavira) should be in sprints too, and like last years he should take at least a stage. Oscar Gatto, the veteran Cesar Quitério (Loulé), Francisco Pacheco (Andalucia) who won 2 stages in 2008 and Danillo Hondo are the main sprinters here.

The third day is a hilly stage, who has a 3rd category climb about 11km to the finish, and another 3rd category climb in the finish, good final for Barbosa or even Ruben Plaza.

Next day and the GC conteders have their first big test, they will pass in Serra da Estrela, and a 1st category climb will appear in the middle of the stage.

Fifth day and one more mountain stage, the last 40km will have two 1st category climb, ending in Alto da Sra da Graça, a notorious climb here, with 8km and ramps of 12% gradient. Next day is the rest day, the GC contender have to prepare the second part of the race.

One flat stage, with some climbs but the sprinters should have their chances.

One more stage that finish with a 3km climb, and next two days for the sprinters.

Last two stages are decisive and will culminate in a beatifull fight between the GC contenders who survived to the many obstacles encountered so far. The penultime stage is the ascent to the Torre, a 28.5km climb to the higher point in Portugal Continental. This is the queen stage, and should be a great show!!

Last day is a flat 30.8km time trial that should decide the winner if still there is any doubt.

Making a summary, i think this is one of the best route of last years, with many climbs and mainly because has various stage that could dictate the winner, but not so many opportunities for the sprinters. Ten stages with a prologue, and a rest day between.  

There will start 123 riders for the Volta, one of the edition with fewer riders. Andalucia, Xacobeo Galicia, ISD-Neri, Contentpolis-Ampo, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, PSK Whirlpool and Lampre are the foreign teams invited.

Talking about GC, there is two teams who should control the peloton and the race, Liberty Seguros have Hector Guerra who finished 2nd last two years, and Ruben Plaza the spanish champion.

The two spanish already showed this season good understanding, and i think the shared leadership shouldn’t be a problem. Honestly, Guerra should be the main favourite, but the door for a surprise from Plaza should stay open. Guerra has showed a great consistency in portuguese races and in Volta too, he won last two stage races that he raced: the Trofeu Joaquim Agostinho and in July the Vuelta a Madrid, showing a good progress for his main objective.

The other big team is Palmeiras Resort Tavira, but Candido Barbosa could be a factor of destabilization in the team. Barbosa is the most knowed and mediatic portuguese cycling, and portuguese fans are anxious to see a portuguese rider win the race again, he pursues this objective for years ending two times in 2nd and a 3rd too, but the 8th place last year, isn't a good sign. David Blanco winner of last year edition, and first foreign won 2 times the Volta, is the lider. Like last years he had a discrete season ending in good places but without a win.

Our other hope is Tiago Machado, the young man leader of Madeinox Boavista, finished in top10 last year with the young jersey. He is one of the most talented and agressive rider in our peloton, and already did some mistakes in his career because of that, but his speech is cleary, he knows that has to try to save energy and only use, in crucial points. He is a very good time trialist (our national ITT champion), and should be at front in hilly stages too, but the Torre and Senhora da Graça finishes, i have to see it first in front, to believe.

Damiano Cunego will be here too to prepare the Vuelta and the WC. My guess is that he should play a similar role that Cobo Acebo did last year: Top10 in GC, and a stage win.

João Cabreira, Bruno Pires, Santi Perez, Damiano Caruso,David Bernabeu (winner of TdP) are good riders, who could do surprises too, and they will try the GC.

A note for the almost 40 year rider Joaquim Andrade from LA- Rota dos Moveis, he already anounced his retirement in the final of the season but first he will conclude his 21th Volta!!

I hope you liked and assure that it will be a fantastic race.

Official site. (click in "etapas" , to see the profile stages)