Dan Martin has been listed amongst the eight-man Quick-Step Floors line-up for the 43rd edition of the Volta ao Algarve (2.HC) which takes place next week (15-19 February).
The Belgian team have won the race overall on three occasions previously (2008, 2013, 2014), in addition to racking up 11 stage victories in the process with 8 different riders.
This year’s edition will provide opportunities to sprinters, climbers and time-triallists. The first and fourth stages to Lagos and Tavira should favour the fast men.
Alto da Fóia (which is the highest point of the race, at 902 metres) and the iconic Alto do Malhão (2.5km, 9.4%) will give the climbers a chance to shine, but also the ground to distance the strong time trialists, who can count on a 18km-long stage against the clock in Sagres to come back into contention.
Fernando Gaviria and Maximiliano Richeze, who won two stages apiece at the Vuelta a San Juan in January, will also be part of the Quick Step Floors team. Dan Martin, fifth at last week’s Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, will make his Volta ao Algarve debut, while Dries Devenyns, neo-pro Enric Mas, Zdenek Stybar, Matteo Trentin and Julien Vermote will round up the eight-man squad, thus giving Quick-Step Floors a balanced and experienced team for next week’s five-stage race.
Quick-Step Floors Team to Volta ao Algarve
Dries Devenyns (BEL)
Fernando Gaviria Rendon (COL)
Daniel Martin (IRL)
Enric Mas (ESP)
Maximiliano Richeze (ARG)
Zdenek Stybar (CZE)
Matteo Trentin (ITA)
Julien Vermote (BEL)
Stages
15.02.17 Stage 1 Albufeira – Lagos 182.9 km
16.02.17 Stage 2 Lagoa – Alto da Fóia 189.3 km
17.02.17 Stage 3 Sagres – Sagres 18.0 km (ITT)
18.02.17 Stage 4 Almodovar – Tavira 203.4 km
19.02.17 Stage 5 Loulé – Alto do Malhão 179.2 km
