Volta ao Algarve stage 1 LIVE: Jasper Philipsen, Arnaud De Lie and Paul Magnier among sprinters poised for expected bunch sprint

Since the departure of Remco Evenepoel, there’s a big onus on Paul Magnier to perform at Soudal-QuickStep, and perhaps become their new talisman. He could make a big statement by winning today, on what is just his second race day of the season.

Here's an idea of the kind of landscape that is providing the backdrop for today's stage in the Algarve.

The gap between the break and the peloton is still at about two minutes.

130KM TO GO

Another big name to look out for in the event of a bunch sprint is Arnaud De Lie. The Belgian’s start to the season was delayed by a freak injury sustained during the Christmas break, though, and his team have downplayed his form as a result.

The race has it's first abandon already - Henri Uhlig, one of the Alpecin teammates tasked with helping Philipsen win today's stage.

The big, new summit finish at the UAE Tour lived up to the hype, and produced a thrilling battle up it. We won't spoil it here, but be sure to read our report of what happened.

So which sprinters should we be looking out for in the finale? Jasper Philipsen’s name stands out. This is the first race of 2026, and he’s beginning what he hopes will be another prolific printer, having spent many years now as one of the fastest men in the peloton.

The riders are currently going uphill, but only at a very gradual gradient. The parcours is a little undulating for a while, but this still looks like a day for the sprinters.

The gap's up to 2:15, the highest it's been all day.

140KM TO GO

The peloton, where the atmosphere is relaxed.

The pace in the peloton has eased off again, and the gap is growing. It seems the break will be allowed to remain up the road after all.

Leijnse's problem must have only been a mechanical, as he's back with the leaders now.

Leijnse has dropped out of the break.

Soudal are working for a Paul Magnier win today. The young sprinter was one of the most prolific winners of 2025, and has started this season in good nick with a runner-up finish at Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana - Gran Premi València.

Soudal-QuickStep don’t appear too happy with this break - perhaps it’s too big? They’re pulling at the front of the peloton and have almost halved the gap, to just over a minute.

150KM TO GO

The gap between the break and the peloton is up to two minutes, but has ceased to grow as the peloton begin chasing.

160KM TO GO

So it’s very much a break of chancers, with two-thirds of it made up of native Portuguese riders.

Here are the nine rider in the break:

José Miguel Moreira (GI Group Holding - Simoldes - UDO)

André Ribeiro (GI Group Holding - Simoldes - UDO)

Diogo Narciso (Credibom / LA Alumínios / Marcos Car)

Bruno Silva (Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua)

Noah Campos (Team Tavira / Crédito Agrícola)

Enzo Leijnse (Anicolor / Campicarn)

Viacheslav Ivanov (Feirense - Beeceler)

Tomas Contte (Aviludo - Louletano - Loulé)

João Silva (Feira dos Sofás - Boavista)

We’ll have a full run-down of everyone in it shortly - there are no World Tour riders among them.

Over a minute for the nine-man break - it doesn’t appear the peloton is chasing them down.

170KM TO GO

It’s a large group, especially for a flat opening stage of a short stage race, but there doesn’t appear to be any notably dangerous riders in it.

A group of about 9 riders have established a gap on the peloton, this might be the break of the day.

A first glimpse of the riders out on the road today.

The parcours today is mostly flat, with only a couple of small category three climbs to take on in the second half of the stage, before a straightforward run-in to the finish in Tavira. So it should certainly be an opening stage for the bunch sprinters.

It’s a mild day out there in the Algarve, not quite the searing temperatures that attract tourists later in the year, but a reasonable 17 degrees.

And they're off!

183KM TO GO

The riders are making their way through the neutralised zone in Vila Real de Santo António.

Here's Oscar Onley at the start, one of the big names making his debut for his new team, Ineos Grenadiers.

We're only a few minutes away from the unofficial start!

Today feels like a day when the 2026 season really starts to get going. As well as the Volta ao Algarve, the Vuelta a Andalucia is also getting underway across the border, while in the Middle-East the UAE Tour continues with a summit finish. You read a preview of that stage here.

None of those four riders are present this year, but the start list remains stacked nonetheless. Have a read here for our full run-down of who to look out for.

This race in Southern Portugal has in recent years developed to become one of the most prestigious and star-studded of the early season stage races, as a quick look at the list of recent winners conforms - Jonas Vingegaard triumphed last year, Remco Evenepoel the year before, and Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar within the last seven years.

Hello and welcome to stage one of the Volta ao Algarve!