“The 50th edition of the Volta ao Algarve, scheduled to take place from February 14 to 18, 2024, will start in Portimão, with the champions being crowned at the top of Malhão in Loulé. An exciting addition will be the introduction of an entirely new Time Trial in Albufeira.
The only Portuguese stage race in the UCI ProSeries circuit will cover a total distance of 752.9 km, with a total elevation gain of 14,455 meters, spread over five stages. The finish of each stage will be marked by bonuses, and the winner of the intermediate sprint in each stage will be awarded a bonus of 6 seconds.”
Stage 1
The inaugural stage, standing out as the longest of the competition, will cover a distance of 200.8 kilometers, connecting Portimão to Lagos. This day promises to be particularly memorable for the sprinters.
Stage 2
The second stage is expected to present the first battle for the general classification over a distance of 171.9 km between Lagoa and the top of Fóia in Monchique. The finish line, located at the highest point in the Algarve, will be preceded by three other mountain ascents. These climbs include the challenges of Alferce (3rd category) and Pomba (2nd category), with the latter situated just 6300 meters from the start of the climb to the finish.
Stage 3
In the third stage, there will be another opportunity for sprinters at the end of 192.2 km between Vila Real de Santo Antonio and Tavira. Along the route, there will be an intermediate sprint, as was the case in 2023. We will see if the same intermediate point will have any impact on the stage outcome in 2024.
Stage 4
The 4th stage brings the significant change of the competition, an individual time trial of 22.2 km between the Marina de Albufeira and the City Hall of Albufeira. The route features climbs and descents characteristic of the time trials in the Volta ao Algarve.
Stage 5
The final stage covering 165.8 km from Faro to Alto do Malhão promises to replicate all the excitement from previous years. The finish coincides with a second-category mountain prize. At 24 km to the finish, the peloton will tackle the first ascent of Malhão after passing through the mountain passages of Vermelhos (km 99) and Alte (km 128.3).
