After the Tour Down Under, Vuelta San Juan, Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, and the ongoing Tour of Oman, Volta Ao Algrave and Ruta Del sol are next !
Volta ao Algarve 2023 preview and predictions
Stage 1
All is not fixed for the sprinters as they will have to survive several and rely on their teams to bring them back in last hast 30km. The finale is a long straight road. Perfect for a sprint leadout.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fabio Jakobsen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jordi Meeus
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Paul Penhoët
⭐️⭐️ Matteo Trentin
⭐️ Alexander Kristoff
Stage 2
7.5 km of climbing with an average will provide the terrain for a GC battle. The gradient is however not steep enough and long enough for the main group to be broken to pieces. A reduced sprint with the strongest man is awaited. Rui Costa is a good sprinter and Joao Almeida has an unbelievable final km punch.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Joao Almeida
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Sergio Higuita
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jai Hindley
⭐️⭐️ Rui Costa
⭐️ Ilan Van Wilder
Stage 3
It will be very hard to take it away from the sprinters. However the pure sprinters will need to guided expertly through a lot of roundabouts and 90 degrees turn.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fabio Jakobsen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jordi Meeus
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Paul Penhoet
⭐️⭐️ Alexander Kristoff
⭐️ Edward Theuns
Stage 4
As much as the final climb looks short, this long day on climbing will weight in the legs along the Malhao slopes which will be taken twice. Last year, Sergio Higuita won along those roads.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Quinten Hermans
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Warren Barguil
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bauke Mollema
⭐️⭐️ Thomas Pidcock
⭐️ Valentin Madouas
Stage 5
21.4 km of individual time-trial will make sure to reward the best of experts with a rather flat profile.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Filippo Ganna
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bauke Mollema
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stefan Bisseger
⭐️⭐️ Tobias Foss
⭐️ Remi Cavagna
Velogames Preview
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates/ 24) : There is no tricky long descent that could put him on the back foot. The Portuguese is a very intelligent rider who know how to climb at his pace. Good time-trialist, the parcours is very well set for a home tour win!
Sergio Higuita (BORA – Hansgrohe/ 20): He won the final stage of last year event. Interestingly, he lost half a minute on the winner on the first climb day. The presence of an Individual time trial will deter him from going for the general even though the form as seen in San Juan is good. Also he might be sharing leadership with Jai Hindley.
Daniel Felipe Martínez (INEOS Grenadiers/18) : A rather good time-trialist, the Colombian would have enjoyed this parcours. But the early season form is really not good. He just lost a national time trial by 3 minutes to Miguel Angel Lopez.
Jai Hindley (BORA – Hansgrohe/16): The Australian open the season in a rather satisfactory form in the Tour Down Under. He will be sharing leadership with Higuita and both will suffer in the final time trial.
Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers/14): Brought in as a future general classification leader, the young Dutchman is improving in terms of mountain consistency. While he did have some average time trial performances recently, but he also had some break through one, all coming from flat time trial parcours ( 6th in Tirenno Adriatico stage 1, 3rd at Vuelta 2022, stage 21)
Thomas Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers/14): He stopped his cyclo-cross season to prepare for the road. He finished 15th on the opening time-trial, he climbed constantly well and won a stage of the Tour. So why? His targets: clear-cut: one day race classics.
Rui Costa (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty/14): The man of the season so far. Already won twice this season. He can time-trial if needs to, pack a better than average sprint and is climbing well. This is a local race for him too!
Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers/12): We saw the Italian finishing better than the likes of Higuita, Bernal and Remco in a mountain top finish and sprint to third behind Gaviria and Sagan. 12 credits might prove to be a good risk to take given that he is at least poised to bring points the last stage.
Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers/12): Following some sickness in Tour Down Under where he did his job as a team-mate, he is back in Europe, and his actual form to be revealed.
Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal – Quick Step/12): He should be able to hold up and get to the sprint in the first stage making it 2 sprint finishes with 2 possible win to content with.
Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck/10): A extremely talent rider who comes from cyclo-cross, he is very fast on steep finishes and is the big favourite to win stage 4.
Jordi Meeus (BORA – Hansgrohe/10): He looks like Jakobsen closest challenger in a bunch sprint finish.
Magnus Cort (EF Education-EasyPost/10): Even though he is coming back from an Injury, the rider does not seem to be his team designated sprinter. The Dane is certainly a good all rider who won bunch sprints, climbed with the team and even finished second in Vuelta 2021, stage 21 ITT.
Mark Padun (EF Education-EasyPost/10): Except for one time-trial stage win in Gran Camino, the Ukrainian has shown nothing of his dauphine 2021 form.
Mauricio Moreira , Frederico Figueiredo (Glassdrive Q8 Anicolor/ 10): They finished first and second respectively of The Tour of Portugal 2022. In the absence of team W52, the dominated the race but this is different field.
Stefan Küng (Groupama – FDJ/10): Last year, his took his climbing abilities a notch up. The same is expected this year but the Volta ao Algrave is more like a preparatory for him for the classics.
Valentin Madouas (Groupama – FDJ/10): In the absence of Gaudu and Pinot, he will be allowed to have his own. He recently finished fourth behind Turner, Clarke and Meeus in Vuelta Murcia before going anonymous in Clasica de Almeira. He is a very option at 10 credits.
Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma/10): The world ITT champions starts his season here. Last year he finished 6th overall here. In 2023, he would want to prove his worth as GC leader, having been overlooked in the coming Giro.
Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal – Quick Step/10): He is ready to take one of the rare chances he will have to ride for own aspirations. He was on the mend last year following a crash. This year, his form and is a good as proved by his 3rd place In Trofeo Andratx. Contender for a top 5.
Warren Barguil (Team Arkéa Samsic/10). Pontential stage winner for stage 2 and 4.
Hugo Hofstetter/ Matis Louvel (Team Arkéa Samsic/10): the both prefer cobbles over climb and will both be sprinting for a maximum UCI points by Arkea Samsic.
Bauke Mollema (Trek – Segafredo/10): He will be trying to hold on to the best in stage 2. While a top 20 stage finish is very likely here. He is more likely to closer to contesting the stage win in stage 4 and 5.
Edward Theuns (Trek – Segafredo/10): He was not allowed to show his top speed form in Valenciania. He is very likely to have to chances at a sprint win. ( stage 1&3)
Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates/10 ): He seems to be team UAE designated sprinter. He will have a go in stage 1 &3 and some assists on he road as well. Lots of options to be a profitable invest.
Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team/ 10): He had a very good race in Valencia. However he only brought back the 13th best total at a cost of 10 credits.
Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team/10): one of the best chance of a stage win for Uno—X. He is a really good puncheur and will enjoy stage 4.
Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team/10): He looked sharp and has a very good team working for sprint delivery.
Nicola Conci (Alpecin-Deceuninck/8) : Puncheur style rider who likes to blow things apart in small steep climbs.
Stefan Bissegger (EF Education-EasyPost /8): The European Time Trial champion usually fails to make an impact in races in terms of victory. There is a time-trial in this race where he could top 3 and potentially earn his 8 credits coins worth.
Jake Stewart (Groupama – FDJ/8): Logically he will be leading out Paul Penhoet.
Paul Penhoët Groupama – FDJ/8): In the event that some sprinters miss out on the sprint on the first stage; he is the most likely to be dropped among Jakobsen and Meeus. The best 8 point deal.
Kobe Goossens (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty/8): 7,1,1,10th: this is placing in the 4 races he started this season. Will he be allowed a stage victory?
Mike Teunissen (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty/8 ) He might either be the Leadout for his designated sprinter or go for it by himself in breakaways.
Sam Oomen (Jumbo-Visma/8): He will first be dispensed to be at the service of Foss.
Kasper Asgreen, Rémi Cavagna, Casper Pedersen (Soudal – Quick Step/8 ): An exceptional train that will deliver Jakobsen to the sprint of stage 1 and 3. In addition, they could all also bring time-trial points.
John Degenkolb (Team DSM/8): He seems to having more a captain/leadout role. He was working for Casper Van Unden in Saudi.
Natnael Tesfatsion (Trek – Segafredo/8): The Erithrean options lies on his results in stage 4. He will do well in the short steep climbs. On flatter days, he will be working for Edward Theuns.
Alexander Kamp (Tudor Pro Cycling Team/8): He usually enjoy sprint from reduced peloton, but his perfomances in Besseges suggest he in not really in form.
Rasmus Tiller (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team/8): will be working to deliver Kristoff to sprints.
Marco Haller (BORA – Hansgrohe/6): It is very unlikely that he will be the one his team will be working given Jordi Meeus recent form.
Julius Van Den Berg (EF Education-EasyPost/6): not the right Van Den Berg.
Rune Herregodts (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty/6) A very interesting rider who regularly featured in the finishes of all Stage of the Tour du Luxembourg. He finished 10th overall of the recent and 2nf of the Champions classics.
Madis Mihkels (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty/6): He might end up being the designated sprinter of the team at 19 years.
Élie Gesbert (Team Arkéa Samsic/6): at 6 credits, he is an interesting option, given he finished 5th overall of the race in 2021. He will be one of the first to attack on climbs.
Thibault Guernalec (Team Arkéa Samsic/6): He knows this race very well having finished in the top 10 overal of the last edition. He is a good climber and a ridiculously very under-rated time trialist.
Oscar Onley (Team DSM/6): Can he follow Thomas Gloag and announce his presence among the pr with fanfare?
Casper Van Uden (Team DSM/6): He is mostly likely to be DSM designated sprinter and with a reduced sprint field, a couple of top 5 finished is worth the 6 coins.
Kevin Vermaerke (Team DSM/ 6): He had a good San Juan,finishing 8th overall. He also lead Sam Welsford perfectly for two stage wins.
Mathias Vacek (Trek – Segafredo/6): A very talented and young rider who is learning his trade but can also surprise from spring attack.
Finn Fisher-Black, Ivo Oliveira and Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates/ 6): They are interesting assists points from Almeida and Vine.
Dries De Pooter (Intermarché – Circus – Wanty 4) : This season he is making a big step up to the pro after winning a stage in Tour of Flanders tomorrow and other noticeable sprint finish. He will be allowed to have a shot at stage victory as much as Mads Mikhels.
Milan Vader (Jumbo-Visma/4): He had a horrible crash in April last year from which he seem to have been recovered. He can get over climbs and sprint.
Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling Team/4): The mostly likely rider to get into break-aways.
Overall Podium Finish:
1.Joao Almeida 2.Rui Costa 3. Ilan Van Wilder
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