Volta ao Algarve

Cavendish collects his first victory of 2014 in the final stage of the Volta ao Algarve

The Spaniard, who had not won in more than a year, says his hard training is paying off

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) will make his season debut at Volta ao Algarve

Tony Martin rode the final-stage time trial to victory in Algarve. Next up is Tirreno-Adriatico in a calendar aimed at stage-race victories

Results from the final stage of the 2013 Volta ao Algarve

German time trial specialist wins finale by more than a minute to take the overall for a second time

Results from stage 3 of the 2013 Volta ao Algarve

Time-trialist Martin hopes to overhaul the young Colombian, but he will have his work cut out for him

The former track star has come a long way since the 2009 season, winning on a course that defeated him four years ago

Results from stage 2 of the 2013 Volta ao Algarve

The Blanco rider sprints to the stage win and the overall lead

1. Paul MARTENS, Blanco, in 5:07:29 2. Tiago MACHADO, RadioShack-Leopard, at :00 3. Theo BOS, Blanco, at :00 4. Giacomo NIZZOLO, RadioShack-Leopard, at :00 5. Thomas SPRENGERS, Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, at :00

Dutchman wins Portugal tour opener as Blanco puts two in the top three with late attack and Omega Pharma retools for Friday

Dutch climber and GC rider hopes to return to France in July, but first has to pass a test in Algarve

Belgian injures right thumb in training accident and will miss the Volta ao Algarve

German time trial ace says Taylor Phinney is his new top rival in the chrono as he prepares for his first test in Portugal this week

"Manx Missile" will have time with the family to celebrate his win in Qatar, a win that didn't come easily with miscues in two sprints

UnitedHealthcare may not have turned heads at Volta ao Algarve but Chris Jones counts it a successful European debut

The Belgian GC rider has been working hard on improving his time trialing ability in the hopes of competing for a Tour podium

Porte on Sky: 'I'm back where I need to be'

Sky dominated Friday’s uphill finale with Richie Porte in the lead with a shot at the overall

Team Sky concerned with productive race routines

Time to test my motivation at Algarve

1. Edvald BOASSON HAGEN , (NOR) Sky, in 4:57:23 2. Kris BOECKMANS , (BEL) Vcd, +0 3. Gerald CIOLEK , (GER) Opq, +0

The Belgian believes he can make a run for the podium

Marc De Mar's apparent allergic reaction made for a tough day

1. Edvald BOASSON HAGEN , (NOR) Sky in 8:59:30 2. Gianni MEERSMAN , (BEL) Ltb +0 3. Kris BOECKMANS , (BEL) Vcd +4

1. Gianni MEERSMAN , (BEL) Ltb, in 4:02:07 2. Greg VAN AVERMAET , (BEL) Bmc, +0 3. Matti BRESCHEL , (DEN) Rab, +0

The race features some challenging, early season terrain without being too hard

André Greipel is not one for emotional outbursts, but the usually stoic German sprinter was downright ecstatic with his season-debut victory at the Volta ao Algarve on Saturday.

Andrew Hood sends some snaps from the final stage of the Volta ao Algarve.

“Just being here is a victory,” said Alberto Contador after finishing fourth overall in the Volta ao Algarve.

Stage 5

• 1. Tony Martin (Ger), HTC-Columbia, 20:53
• 2. Lieuwe Westra (Ned), at 0:05
• 3. Tiago Machado (Por), Team RadioShack, at 0:26
• 4. Jesse Sergent (Nzl), Team RadioShack, at 0:27
• 5. Andreas Klöden (Ger), Team RadioShack, at 0:30

Final overall

• 1. Tony Martin (Ger), HTC-Columbia, 18:48:45
• 2. Tejay Van Garderen (USA States), HTC-Columbia, at 0:32
• 3. Lieuwe Westra (Ned), at 0:39
• 4. Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp), at 0:41
• 5. Andreas Klöden (Ger), Team RadioShack, at 0:46

ALBUFEIRA, Portugal (VN) – There are not that many fans that come to watch the five-day Volta ao Algarve, but a good-sized crowd waited outside the Saxo Bank-Sungard team bus Saturday morning to catch a glimpse of Alberto Contador.

Stage 4

• 1. André Greipel (Ger), Omega Pharma-Lotto, 3:56:55
• 2. Michael Matthews (Aus), Rabobank, s.t.
• 3. Anthony Ravard (Fra), Ag2r La Mondiale, s.t.
• 4. Tyler Farrar (USA), Garmin-Cervélo, s.t.
• 5. Allan Davis (Aus), Astana, s.t.

Overall standings

• 1. Stephen Cummings (Gbr), Team Sky, 18:27:42
• 2. Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp), at 0:06
• 3. Tony Martin (Ger), HTC-Columbia, at 0:10
• 4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA), HTC-Columbia, at 0:12
• 5. Rein Taaramae (Est), Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 0:18

André Greipel wins stage 4 of Algarve while Stephen Cummings leads the overall.

Alberto Contador said Friday that he was satisfied with his third place finish in the day's Volta ao Algarve stage.

Stage:

• 1. Stephen CUMMINGS, (GBR) Team Sky, in 4:56:19
• 2. Tejay VAN GARDEREN, (USA) HTC-HighRoad, at 0
• 3. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, (ESP), at 0
• 4. Rein TAARAMAE, (EST) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 0
• 5. Tony MARTIN, (GER) HTC-HighRoad, at 0

• 1. Stephen CUMMINGS, (Great Britain) Team Sky, in 14:30:47
• 2. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, (Spain), at 6
• 3. Tony MARTIN, (Germany) HTC-HighRoad, at 10
• 4. Tejay VAN GARDEREN, (United States) HTC-HighRoad, at 12
• 5. Rein TAARAMAE, (Estonia) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne, at 18

LISBON (AFP) — Team Sky's Stephen Cummings on Friday won the third stage of the Tour of the Algarve ahead of Tejay van Garderen (HTC-HighRoad) and two-time winner Alberto Contador of Astana.

Stage

• 1. John DEGENKOLB , (GER) HTC-Columbia , at 4:57:56
• 2. Tyler FARRAR , (USA) Garmin-Transitions , at 0
• 3. Michael MATTHEWS , (AUS) Rabobank Cycling Team , at 0
• 4. Baden COOKE , (AUS) , at 0
• 5. Sébastien HINAULT , (FRA) Ag2r La Mondiale , at 0

• 1. Philippe GILBERT , (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto , at 9:34:23
• 2. John DEGENKOLB , (GER) HTC-Columbia , at 4
• 3. Tyler FARRAR , (USA) Garmin-Transitions , at 8
• 4. Gerald CIOLEK , (GER) Quick Step , at 9
• 5. Michael MATTHEWS , (AUS) Rabobank Cycling Team , at 10

John Degenkolb (HTC-Columbia) nipped Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervélo) to win the second stage at the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal in Thursday’s 186.5km run from Lagao to Lagos.

Stage 1:

• 1. Philippe GILBERT, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, in 4:36:36
• 2. Gerald CIOLEK, (GER) Quick Step, at 5
• 3. André GREIPEL, (GER) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 5
• 4. Tyler FARRAR, (USA) Garmin-Transitions, at 5
• 5. Michael MATTHEWS, (AUS) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 5

• 1. Philippe GILBERT, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, in 4:36:26
• 2. Gerald CIOLEK, (GER) Quick Step, at 9
• 3. André GREIPEL, (GER) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 11
• 4. Tyler FARRAR, (USA) Garmin-Transitions, at 15
• 5. Michael MATTHEWS, (AUS) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 15

Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) took his inaugural victory of the 2011 season in the opening stage of the Volta a Algarve on a day that was overshadowed by the return of Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-Sungard).

Charly Wegelius is coming off the two most trying seasons of his 11-year career and feels the spark burning for the first time in a while. The new UnitedHealthcare recruit brings his grand tour palmarés to the upgraded American outfit as it embarks on its first solid European campaign Wednesday at the Volta ao Algarve.

Soon after being cleared of doping charges by the Spanish federation, Alberto Contador is expected to travel to Portugal to arrive in time for Wednesday’s start the Volta ao Algarve.

It’s official: the Spanish cycling federation has cleared Alberto Contador of doping charges in a dramatic U-turn in his ongoing case of alleged use of clenbuterol.

Check out Brian Holcombe's author page.

The Lithuanian still suffering from shoulder he broke in February.

Graham Watson shoots the final stage of the 2010 Volta ao Algarve.

Alberto Contador (Astana) finishes second in the final time trial to take the overall title at the Volta ao Algarve.

Alberto Contador isn’t happy about the UCI’s decision to ban his Specialized Shiv time trial bike on the eve of Sunday’s decisive final TT in the Volta ao Algarve.

With the star-studded RadioShack roster, Sébastien Rosseler never expected it would be him to score the new squad’s first victory. The stocky Belgian rider pulled it off in Saturday’s hilly fourth stage at the Volta ao Algarve, powering away from a breakaway with nearly 30km still to go.

Quick-draw Contador wins stage 3 Alberto Contador (Astana) picked up where he left off last July and won Friday’s “queen stage” to surge into the overall lead at the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal.

Early in Thursday’s infernally cold and rainy stage at the Volta ao Algarve, André Greipel called off his HTC-Columbia troops and told them not to chase down a five-man breakaway that had opened up a six-minute gap. ... Well, he won anyway.

Benoit Vaugrenard (FDJeux) surprised the sprinters with a well-timed late-stage attack to win Wednesday’s hilly opening stage at the 36th Volta a Algarve.

Racing this Week: The big story this week is the season debut of defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador and several other big names at the Volta ao Algarve.

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador is starting a training camp in Calpe, Spain, Thursday, prior to his season opener at Portugal's Volta au Algarve stage race next month.

Portugal's Volta ao Algarve is a traditional early-season test for European pros.

Alberto Contador said Friday he will kick off his 2010 season with Portugal's Tour de Algarve in mid-February.

Astana's Alberto Contador started his season out with a victory by winning Portugal's Volta ao Algarve stage race on Sunday. Contador finished in the pack — in 96th place — on the 166km stage from Vila do Obispo to Portimao. Contador finished in the same time as stage winner Henrich Haussler (Cervelo TestTeam). Contador had taken the overall lead on the strength of his second place in the stage 3 mountain top finish and then his commanding win in stage 4's 34km time trial.

A day after being relegated to a rare second place on a summit finish, Alberto Contador turned in an authoritative time trial victory Saturday to take the overall lead at Portugal’s Volta ao Algarve. Contador beat back the likes of teammate Andreas Klöden and reigning world time trial champion Bert Grabsch (Columbia-High Road) on a fairly challenging 33.7km course in the hills along the Algarve Coast to snag his first win of the season and secure the overall leader’s jersey.

Katusha’s early season haul continued Friday as Toni Colom out-kicked triple-crown winner Alberto Contador (Astana) in the final meters of a summit finish to win the stage and take the overall leader’s jersey in stage three at the Volta ao Algarve. Colom – fresh off winning the Mallorca Challenge earlier this month – had a stronger kick at the end of the steep, second-category climb up the Alto do Malhao to relegate Contador to a rare second-place on a summit finish.

A steep, 200-meter rising finish at the end of Thursday’s hilly 183km second stage in the Volta ao Algarve looked tailor-made for Damiano Cunego or Alberto Contador. But those big-name riders have bigger fish to fry later this year, which opened the door for Basque sprinter Koldo Fernández to pull the double, taking the stage win and the leader’s jersey. The Euskaltel-Euskadi speedster bolted ahead of Portuguese sprinter Manuel Cardoso (Liberty Seguros) to claim his first win of the year, with Gerard Ciolek (Milram) coming through third.

Racing is clicking into gear all over Europe and several big names are revving up their 2009 racing legs at this week’s Volta ao Algarve over the green hills draped along Portugal’s southern Atlantic Coast. The five-day race marks the season debut for triple-crown winner Alberto Contador (Astana), who admitted he’s here only to stretch his legs.

Alberto Contador will follow a familiar path to the Tour de France and it won’t go through Italy.   The 2008 Giro d’Italia champ reconfirmed that the Tour will be his top priority this season and that he will not defend his Giro crown.   With Astana assured of a place in this year’s Tour, Contador said weeks ago he would not defend his Giro victory and instead focus on July.