Volta ao Algarve

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Volta ao Algarve
Race details
Date	February
Region	Algarve, Portugal
English name	Tour of the Algarve
Local name(s)	Volta ao Algarve (Portuguese)
Discipline	Road
Competition	UCI Europe Tour
Type	Stage race
History
First edition	1960
Editions	34 (as of 2008)
First winner	José Manuel Marques
Most wins	Belmiro Silva (3 wins)
Most recent	Stijn Devolder

The Volta ao Algarve (Portuguese; English: Tour of the Algarve) is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Due to its early February position in the European calendar, it is used by many riders to prepare for the Spring Classics.

[edit] Palmarès

		Rider		Team
1960		José Manuel Marques
1961		António Pisco
1962		José Manuel Marques
1977		Belmiro Silva
1978		Joaquim Andrade
1979		Firmino Bernardino
1980		Firmino Bernardino
1981		Belmiro Silva
1982		Alexandre Ruas
1983		Adelino Teixeira
1984		Belmiro Silva
1985		Eduardo Correia
1986		Manuel Cunha
1987		Manuel Cunha
1988		Joaquim Gomes
1989		Fernando Carvalho
1990		Fernando Carvalho
1991		Joaquim Adrego Andrade

	Rider	Team
1992	Joaquim Gomes
1993	Cássio Freitas
1994	Vitor Gamito
1995	Cássio Freitas
1996	Alberto Amaral
1997	Cândido Barbosa
1998	Tomas Konecny
1999	Melchor Mauri
2000	Alex Zülle
2001	Andrea Ferrigato
2002	Cândido Barbosa
2003	Claus Michael Møller
2004	Floyd Landis
2005	Hugo Sabido
2006	João Cabreira
2007	Alessandro Petacchi	Team Milram
2008	Stijn Devolder	Quick Step