The world’s cycling elite is returning to the Algarve for the 2026 edition of Volta ao Algarve, starting in Vila Real de Santo António and finishing at the iconic Alto do Malhão, in Loulé, after five action-packed stages.
The race begins on February 18, with VRSA as the starting point before a traditional sprint finish in Tavira.
Stage two, on the following day (February 19), will see cyclists departing Portimão and heading into the Serra de Monchique mountains, racing uphill to the Fóia peak, the Algarve’s highest point and the race’s first summit finish.
One of the major novelties of the 2026 edition comes on stage three (February 20), with an individual time trial starting and finishing in Vilamoura, in the municipality of Loulé, and passing through Quarteira.
On Saturday, February 21, the peloton will take off from Albufeira and race to Lagos, promising another high-speed showdown at the finishing line.
The final stage is scheduled for Sunday, February 22, starting in Faro and climbing to Alto do Mahão. After hosting the time trial in 2025, Malhão returns as the final challenge for participating teams.
Full details of the route, including distances and elevation profiles, will be announced soon, the Portuguese Cycling Federation (FPC) says in a statement on the event’s website. For now, all start and finish towns for the five stages have been confirmed, along with the participation of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, the world’s top ranked team in 2025.
The Volta ao Algarve has established itself as one of the region’s most important sports events. In 2025, the competition generated a combined €36.5 million economic, media and tourism impact, the highest ever linked to the race.
