Stage Races Classics

Volta ao Algarve 2012 Live Dashboard
Race Info, Preview, Live Video, Results, Photos and Highlights

As in previous years, the 2012 Volta ao Algarve will have a summit finish on Alto do Malhão where like last year, Alberto Contador, ~~is expected to contest the stage and overall win~~. Photos from last year's race:

Big Photos from 2011 — joão dias/cycloweb

2012 Volta ao Algarve Teams

Team Rosters and ~~Withdrawals~~
Group riders by: or Printable Startlist

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News and Updates for Volta ao Algarve 2012

February 15 update: Also today, is the 2nd of 6 stages from Tour of Oman. Big photos and highlights after each stage.

Stage 5 results
1.  Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling)               32:48
2.  Tony Martin (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)
3.  Richie Porte (Sky Procycling)                 + 0:13
4.  Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team)          + 0:14 
5.  Jesse Sergent (RadioShack - Nissan)
6.  Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto - Belisol Team)  + 0:29
7.  Andrew Talansky (Team Garmin - Barracuda)     + 0:39
8.  Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma - Quickstep) + 0:53
9.  Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky Procycling)         + 0:56
10. Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Rabobank Cycling Team)

General classification after Stage 5
1.  Richie Porte (Sky Procycling)           19:02:43  
2.  Tony Martin (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)    + 0:37  
3.  Bradley Wiggins (Sky Procycling)          + 0:44
4.  Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto - Belisol)   + 0:50 
5.  Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Movistar)     + 0:58  
6.  Tiago Machado (RadioShack - Nissan)       + 1:02  
7.  Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing)           + 1:13  
8.  Andrew Talansky (Garmin - Barracuda)      + 1:14 
9.  Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM)     + 1:33  
10. Gianni Meersman (Lotto - Belisol)         + 1:39

Porte collects overall victory in Algarve — cyclingnews

Full Stage 5 results — biciciclismo

Stage 5 photos — voltaalgarve
February 18 update: A final day 26 km TT decides this year's race. See the start order and times below and the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

Start Order and Times for the final day ITT (GMT/WET) — biciciclismo

Stage 4 results and report — cyclingnews

2 Big Photos from Stage 4 (and a link to more) — voltaalgarve
February 17 update: Hilly then rolling with a 150m bump about 10 km from the line. This stage shouldn't have much effect on the general classification. No live video on Eurosport expected. Also, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

Cummings fractures pelvis at the Volta ao Algarve — cyclingnews

Stage 3 results: Richie Porte (Sky) easily wins the mountaintop finish after Team Sky sends riders out the back

Stage 3 results
1  Richie Porte (Sky) Palmarés completo
2  Tiago Machado (RadioShack-Nissan)         + 0:08
3  Rui Costa (Movistar Team) 
4  Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil)           + 0:23
5  Wout Poels (Vacansoleil)                  + 0:24
6  Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol) 
7  Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Barracuda)        + 0:30
8  José Mendes (LA-Antarte)                  + 0:34
9  Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)     + 0:40
10 Bradley Wiggins (Sky)                     + 0:41
11 Nicolas Roche (AG2R)                      + 0:44
12 Bruno Pires (Saxo Bank) 
13 Jesús Hernández (Saxo Bank) 
14 Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar Team) 
15 Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol) 

General classification after Stage 3
1  Richie Porte (Sky)                      13:54:41
2  Tiago Machado (RadioShack-Nissan)         + 0:12
3  Rui Costa (Movistar Team)                 + 0:14
4  Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil - DCM)     + 0:34
5  Wout Poels (Vacansoleil - DCM)
6  Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto - Belisol)
7  José Mendes (LA-Antarte)                  + 0:45
8  Andrew Talansky (Garmin - Barracuda)      + 0:48
9  Gianni Meersman (Lotto - Belisol)         + 0:49
10 Tony Martin (Omega Pharma - Quickstep)    + 0:50

Porte prevails on Alto do Malhão mountain finish — cyclingnews

Porte Climbs To Victory — teamsky

2 Big Photos from Stage 3 (and a link to more) — voltaalgarve
February 16 update: This is the stage that traditionally shakes up the GC before the final day TT settles it. The mountaintop finish on Alto do Malhão has been featured many times in this race and last year's (surprise) winner, Stephen Cummings, now racing for BMC, is back to defend his win. Here are photos from last year's finish on Alto do Malhão. It is a short, but at this time of the year, relatively steep climb (2.7 km, 9.25% average grade). In 2010, Alberto Contador won stage 3 on Malhão (and see the good photo on our 2010 dashboard) to set up his overall win and you may recall the Floyd Landis won on Malhão in 2004 on the final day to seal up his overall win. That day, Lance Armstrong played the domestique role. Also, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

Big Photos from Alto do Malhão 2010 — joão dias/cycloweb

Stage 2 results: Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) wins the sprint finish in Lagoa

Stage 2 results
1  Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)
2  Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil) 
3  Gerald Ciolek (Omega Pharma-Quick Step)
4  Matti Breschel (Rabobank) 
5  Francesco Lasca (Caja Rural) 
6  Koldo Fernández de Larrea (Garmin-Barracuda) 
7  Nikolas Maes (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) 
8  Pieter Vanspreybouck (Topsport Vlaanderen) 
9  Filipe Cardoso (Efapel) 
10 Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil) 

General classification after Stage 2
1  Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky)        8:59:30   
2  Gianni Meersman (Lotto Belisol)      
3  Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil-DCM)   + 0:04   
4  Greg van Avermaet (BMC Racing)   
5  Matti Breschel (Rabobank)

Boasson Hagen takes sprint victory in Lagoa — cyclingnews

Boasson Hagen wins Tour of Algarve stage two — cyclingweekly.co.uk

2 Big Photos from Stage 2 (+ a link to more) — voltaalgarve
February 14 update: Another lumpy/hilly stage with several cat 3 climbs before a slight uphill leveling out to flat finish (see last 3 km graphic below). Also, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

Stage 1: Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol) is the surprise winner in Albufeira

Stage 1 results
1  Gianni Meersman (Lotto-Belisol)             4:09:17
2  Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) 
3  Matti Breschel (Rabobank) 
4  Bjorn Leukemans (Vacansoleil) 
5  Nicolas Roche (AG2R) 
6  Anthony Ravard (AG2R) 
7  Rui Costa (Movistar Team) 
8  Michael Van Staeyen (Topsport Vlaanderen) 
9  Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) 
10 Jan Bakelants (RadioShack-Nissan)

Full/Official Stage 1 Results — voltaalgarve

Meersman wins opening stage at Volta ao Algarve — cyclingnews

Gianni Meersman sprints to win opening Volta ao Algarve stage — velonation

3 Big Photos from Stage 1 — voltaalgarve

More Stage 1 photos — voltaalgarve
February 14 update: A lumpy stage with two cat 3 climbs and a rolling finish (see last 3 km graphic below). Philippe Gilbert won this stage finish last year (photos). Also, see the stage profile, map and timetable in the race summary table (right). — Steve

2012 Volta ao Algarve Race Preview

February 14 update:

Official startlist now posted — steephill

Tony Martin targets Algarve defence, Steegmans and Chavanel chase Oman success — velonation

Wiggins makes season debut tomorrow, says he’s ‘way ahead of last year’ — velonation

Gilbert: still hungry to win and feeling strong — velonation

Late changes to An Post squad — rte.ie

UnitedHealthcare ready for 2012 European debut in Algarve — cyclingnews

Contador-less Saxo Bank supporting home riders at the Volta ao Algarve — velonation

January 28 update: Volta ao Algarve is a lumpy-hilly race which features many cat 3 climbs over the first four stages before the final day time-trial. Like last year, the queen stage features a cat 2 finish at Alto do Malhão on stage 3. The action on the flats should be interesting too because the region has some of the finest beaches in Europe. This race, in the southern most province of Portugal, is popular at this time of the year for its warm, dry weather.

See the stage map and profiles right and scroll down for the list of teams. More to come... — Steve

About Algarve — en.wikipedia.org
Official Site — voltaalgarve

Also follow steephill on Twitter for the latest race info and video updates.

Live Streaming Video and TV Coverage

February 14 update: Listed below are some of the media outlets for the 2012 Volta ao Algarve along with links to their tv guide and live coverage. Links get verified and updated prior to each stage. Let me know if you see new options. Please report (email) new links and incorrect or missing information. — Steve

VERSUS Tour of Qatar VERSUS Tour of Qatar

media source	tv or internet	comments/restrictions
	live video (pt) live video (pt) tv schedule	Portugal; expected to have the earliest and longest live coverage.
	live video (english) live video (english) live video (english) tv schedule (europe)	Europe; Eurosport 2 will have 45 minutes of daily live coverage (provided Tennis doesn't run over). No live video on Eurosport expected for Stage 4 on Saturday.
	live video (pt) official updates (pt)	Portuguese; official live video and race updates.
	steephill txt updates #algarve twitter grp	short text updates from any and everyone
check back at race time for more and updated links; send a comment or a new live link