With just one week to go until the start of the 87th Volta a Portugal Jogos Santa Casa, the 17 teams set to compete in Portugal’s biggest cycling race, taking place from 5 to 16 August, have now been confirmed. The 2026 edition will feature one more team than last year, bringing together squads from six countries and all three top tiers of international cycling.

The participation of UAE Team Emirates XRG, current leaders of the UCI World Ranking, is one of the major international attractions of this year’s race. The Emirati squad will include Portuguese rider Rui Oliveira, Olympic Madison champion and one of the leading names in Portuguese cycling today.

The Volta also marks the return of two Spanish ProTeams with a strong history in the Portuguese race: Euskaltel-Euskadi and Burgos Burpellet BH. The Basque team returns after making its mark on recent editions of the event. In 2024, Luis Ángel Maté celebrated a stage victory in Guarda, while in 2023 Txomin Juaristi finished runner-up in the final general classification. Burgos Burpellet BH has also enjoyed several stage victories in the race. The most recent came in 2024, when Sergio Chumil claimed victory atop the legendary climb to Torre, in the Serra da Estrela, one of the most iconic venues in Portuguese cycling.

Among the Portuguese teams, all ten national Continental squads will be on the start line: Anicolor/Campicarn, Aviludo-Louletano-Loulé, Credibom/LA Alumínios/Marcos Car, Efapel Cycling, Feirense-Beeceler, Feira dos Sofás-Boavista, GI Group Holding-Simoldes-UDO, Óbidos Cycling Team, Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua and Team Tavira/Crédito Agrícola.

One of the most eagerly anticipated teams will be Anicolor/Campicarn, which will once again line up with Artem Nych as its leader. The Russian rider has won the last two editions of the Volta a Portugal and heads into this year’s race aiming to defend his title and add a third overall victory to his palmarès.

The international peloton is completed by the Continental teams Localiza Meoo/Swift Pro Cycling (Brazil), NSN Development Team (Switzerland), APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery and Meridian Racing p/b De La Uz (United States of America).

NSN Development Team was one of the revelations of last year’s edition. In 2025, the Swiss squad claimed four stage victories through Rotem Tene, Brady Gilmore (twice) and Pau Martí, establishing itself as one of the most aggressive teams in the peloton.

Lisbon to host the official team presentation

Before the race gets underway, fans will have the opportunity to meet the protagonists of the 87th Volta a Portugal up close. The official team presentation will take place on 4 August (Tuesday) from 6:30 pm, at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos Viewpoint, in Lisbon.

On the eve of the race, spectators will get their first glimpse of the peloton that will take to Portugal’s roads over twelve days of competition. It will also be an opportunity to meet the riders who will battle for the Jogos Santa Casa Yellow Jersey, awarded to the overall race leader, the Continente Blue Jersey for the King of the Mountains classification, the Galp Orange Jersey, recognising the most consistent rider, and the Paredes – Rota dos Móveis White Jersey, awarded to the best young rider in the race.

A Volta from North to South

The 2026 edition covers a total of 1,429 kilometres, made up of a prologue, nine road stages and an individual time trial. Throughout the race, riders will contest 23 classified climbs and 22 intermediate sprints, on a route designed to keep the battle for the overall classification wide open until the final days. The race will pass through 71 municipalities across 15 districts, crossing much of the country and reinforcing its historic connection with Portuguese territory.

The 87th Volta a Portugal Jogos Santa Casa gets underway from 5 to 16 August, linking Lisbon to Porto over twelve days of racing. Along the way, the riders will cross into Spain, return to Torre in the Serra da Estrela, and tackle the unprecedented double ascent of Alto da Senhora da Graça—one of the major innovations of an edition that marks the beginning of the countdown to the centenary of Portugal’s greatest cycling race.