Julius Johansen claimed the first Yellow Jersey of the 87th Volta a Portugal Jogos Santa Casa after Wednesday’s prologue, which got the Grandíssima underway.

The UAE Team Emirates XRG rider was the penultimate starter, but as the saying goes, the best was saved for last. He set the fastest time over the scenic 6.5-kilometre individual time trial course in Belém.

The Emirati team arrived at the Volta as one of the major novelties and attractions of the 2026 edition, and it took just one day to live up to those expectations. In addition to the Danish winner, home favourite Rui Oliveira finished second, while Luca Giaimi placed fourth.

“It’s fantastic. This is the pinnacle of cycling in Portugal, and I’m very proud of my performance. It’s really special. I saw Rui’s time—it was incredible—and I knew I had to give everything. That’s what I did, and I’m very happy,” Johansen said after the prologue.

The only riders to break up UAE Team Emirates XRG’s dominance in the stage’s top five were Rafael Reis (Anicolor/Campicarn) – the undisputed king of the Volta a Portugal prologue, with seven victories to his name – and his teammate Artem Nych, the two-time defending champion.

Rui Oliveira is still chasing the first professional road cycling victory of his career and has made no secret of the fact that achieving it at the Grandíssima would be a dream. In the end, he came very close to making it happen.

The Olympic champion led the standings for much of the afternoon, with only Julius Johansen managing to better the Portuguese rider’s time by four seconds. Reis finished third, seven seconds behind, while Giaimi was nine seconds adrift. Nych, 14 seconds off the lead, was the rider who gained the most ground in the battle for the overall classification.

In the battle for the Jogos Santa Casa Yellow Jersey, three other riders also emerged among the strongest contenders: Txomin Juaristi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) conceded just one second to Nych, Tiago Antunes (Efapel Cycling) three seconds, and Adrià Pericas (UAE Team Emirates XRG) seven seconds.

A Festive Afternoon in Belém with Distinguished Guests

In a festive atmosphere in front of the Jerónimos Monastery, overlooking the Tagus River, the opening prologue of the Grandíssima welcomed some of Portugal’s most distinguished public figures, including Fernando Gomes, President of the Portuguese Olympic Committee, Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon, and Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro.

“I would like to highlight the fact that this is an event that brings the whole country together and showcases our natural heritage. The Volta starts in Lisbon and finishes in Porto, but it passes through many municipalities and parishes, from the coast to the interior. Above all, it brings together countless Portuguese people as well as tourists. It is a magnificent demonstration of sporting vitality and a great way to promote our country,” said Montenegro.

Carlos Moedas, meanwhile, stressed how proud the city was to host the start of the Volta a Portugal. “It is a great source of pride for the people of Lisbon. The Volta a Portugal is about cycling, sport and territorial cohesion. In many ways, it is the most community-driven sporting event we have, bringing together local authorities and the people.”