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By Open Chronicle Sports Desk with Agencies
The 87th Volta a Portugal will feature a peloton of 17 teams when Portugal’s biggest cycling race begins on 5 August, with the return of Spanish ProTeams Euskaltel-Euskadi and Burgos Burpellet among the highlights of the 2026 edition.
Organisers confirmed that the race, which runs until 16 August, will bring together ten Portuguese continental teams alongside seven international squads, creating a strong and diverse field for one of the most prestigious races on the UCI Europe Tour calendar.
The official team presentation is scheduled for 4 August at 6:30 p.m. at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos in Lisbon, where riders will be introduced ahead of the opening 6.5-kilometre prologue that launches this year’s race.
Euskaltel-Euskadi returns to Portugal
The return of Euskaltel-Euskadi marks one of the biggest stories of this year’s race.
The Basque ProTeam, successor to the legendary Euskaltel squad that competed at the highest level of international cycling throughout the 1990s and 2000s, returns to Portuguese roads two years after Luis Ángel Maté claimed a stage victory in Guarda and three years after Txomin Juaristi finished runner-up in the overall classification.
The team’s presence adds further quality to the race and strengthens the international profile of the Volta a Portugal.
Burgos Burpellet also back
Joining Euskaltel-Euskadi is fellow Spanish ProTeam Burgos Burpellet, which returns after a two-year absence.
The team last competed in the race when Guatemalan climber Sergio Chumil secured an impressive mountain stage victory at Torre, the iconic summit in the Serra da Estrela.
Both Spanish teams compete in the UCI ProTeam category, the second tier of professional road cycling below the WorldTour.
UAE Team Emirates XRG leads international challenge
One of the strongest teams in the race will be UAE Team Emirates XRG, currently ranked number one in the UCI world rankings.
The team includes Portuguese Olympic champion Rui Oliveira, who won the Madison gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, adding further interest for local fans.
The remaining international teams include:
- NSN Development Team (Switzerland), winners of four stages in the 2025 edition.
- Localiza Meoo / Swift Pro Cycling (Brazil).
- APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery (United States).
- Meridian Racing p/b De La Uz (United States).
All four compete at Continental level, the third tier of the UCI professional structure.
Strong Portuguese representation
Ten Portuguese Continental teams will contest this year’s race:
- Anicolor / Campicarn
- Aviludo-Louletano-Loulé
- Credibom / LA Alumínios / Marcos Car
- Efapel
- Feirense-Beeceler
- Feira dos Sofás-Boavista
- GI Group Holding-Simoldes-UDO
- Óbidos Cycling Team
- Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua
- Team Tavira / Crédito Agrícola
Among the favourites is Artem Nych, riding for Anicolor / Campicarn, after winning both the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Volta a Portugal.
Route across Portugal
The 2026 edition begins in Lisbon with a short individual prologue before the peloton embarks on 10 further stages, consisting of nine road stages and one individual time trial.
Covering a total distance of 1,430 kilometres, the race will conclude in Porto, where the overall winner of the 87th Volta a Portugal will be crowned.
With a combination of experienced ProTeams, ambitious Continental squads and many of Portugal’s leading riders, this year’s edition promises another highly competitive battle for the country’s most prestigious cycling title.