Giro d'Italia white jersey winner Bob Jungels will ride the Portuguese race for the first time in his career.
Quick-Step Floors has been one of the top performers at the past editions of the Volta ao Algarve, where our team has won 13 stages with ten different riders, most recent victories coming last year, when the squad left its imprint on two stages. In 2018, Quick-Step Floors will try to add to that success, as we are lining out a strong seven-man team, comprising riders who've scored more than 100 pro victories.
One of these is Bob Jungels, who will make his first appearance at the Volta ao Algarve, after completing an altitude camp in South Africa last week and riding to his maiden top 10 of the year at Vuelta a Murcia. The Luxembourg Champion, who later this season will return to the Tour de France after racing the Giro d'Italia in the past two years, is looking with optimism to the five-day race.
"It will be my first time at the Volta ao Algarve, but I'm not going there only as part of a preparation campaign. I will grab all opportunities I can, I feel good and looking over the course, it's a race that suits me. I don't know if I can compete for the general classification, it's still too early to say that, but as you could see in Murcia, my form is good and that's all that matters."
A stage winner at the 2011 edition, Philippe Gilbert will also be present at the start, four days after scoring a podium finish at Vuelta a Murcia. Yves Lampaert, Maximilian Schachmann, Florian Sénéchal, Pieter Serry and Czech Champion Zdenek Stybar will be the other riders fielded by Quick-Step Floors for the 44th edition of the Portuguese race (14-18 February), which will roll out with a flat stage between Albufeira and Lagos.
One day later, Alto da Foia (6 kilometers at 7.3%) should spark the imagination of the GC riders, who'll be forced to make a move on the climb so they can put a considerable gap between them and the time trialists, with the latter having the chance to bounce back on the 20km-long undulating individual time trial in Lagoa. The sprinters will get another opportunity in Tavira, before the iconic Alto do Malhão (2.7 kilometers, 9.2%) will bring down the curtain over the Volta ao Algarve with what should be a great showdown.
Photo credit: ©Sigfrid Eggers
Yves Lampaert 
