{"id":4320,"date":"2026-07-24T10:47:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T10:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avoltaportugal.com\/rui-oliveira-em-estreia-na-volta-a-portugal-ganhar-uma-etapa-seria-cumprir-um-sonho\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T11:31:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:31:41","slug":"rui-oliveira-em-estreia-na-volta-a-portugal-ganhar-uma-etapa-seria-cumprir-um-sonho","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/avoltaportugal.com\/en\/rui-oliveira-em-estreia-na-volta-a-portugal-ganhar-uma-etapa-seria-cumprir-um-sonho\/","title":{"rendered":"Rui Oliveira em estreia na Volta a Portugal: \u201cGanhar uma etapa seria cumprir um sonho\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Rui Oliveira ahead of his Volta a Portugal debut: Winning a stage would be a dream come true\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Olympic Madison champion is set to make his first appearance at the Volta a Portugal, a race he grew up following with his family and where he hopes to leave his mark with UAE Team Emirates-XRG.<\/p>

Rui Oliveira will make his debut at the Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta Jogos Santa Casa this year. Olympic Madison champion at Paris 2024 alongside I\u00fari Leit\u00e3o, the Portuguese rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG will be one of the standout names at the 87th edition of Portugal’s biggest cycling race, which marks the beginning of a new competitive and organizational era.<\/p>

Born in Vila Nova de Gaia, Rui Oliveira has a special connection with the race. Before experiencing it as a rider, he followed it as a fan, as a family member, and while watching the career of his brother H\u00e9lder Oliveira, who competed in the Portuguese peloton for many years and raced the Volta a Portugal ten times.<\/p>

It is a very special race. One of the reasons I became a cyclist and love this sport is because I grew up watching the Volta a Portugal. My brother raced it from 2005 to 2015, for ten consecutive years. I followed him every summer and that naturally creates a special emotional connection. I saw everything he went through, I felt the support of our family, and it was incredibly motivating to be surrounded by everyone who supported him.<\/p>

After leaving Portugal as an under-23 rider, first to join Hagens Berman Axeon and later UAE Team Emirates, where he is now in his eighth season, Rui Oliveira is finally preparing to race the event that shaped his childhood.<\/p>

The Volta a Portugal has an incredible fan base and I don’t think its atmosphere can be compared with many other races. That’s exactly what every rider who has raced it tells me. Being able to compete now, at a stage of my career where I feel strong, with the team I want to represent, and bringing my team to the Volta makes this very special.<\/p>

My main goal is to win a stage<\/strong><\/p>

Rui Oliveira’s debut will be far more than symbolic. The Portuguese rider arrives with clear sporting ambitions.<\/p>

My main goal is to win a stage. That’s what I’m focused on. It would mean a lot to me, both professionally and personally. Winning a stage at the Volta a Portugal would have a very special meaning because my brother spent many years trying to achieve it without success.<\/p>

I also have many friends who shared that same dream. I’ll try to achieve it for myself, but also for everyone who chased it before me and for all the people who support me. It will be very special to have them cheering for me at some of the finishes and, if I can win, I think I’ll make a lot of people very happy.<\/p>

The 87th Volta a Portugal features a redesigned route with several sporting and symbolic highlights. One of the biggest novelties will be the final stage from Maia to Porto, finishing on Avenida dos Aliados after a closing circuit through Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, Rui Oliveira’s hometown.<\/p>

I’ve already looked through the route. Naturally I know almost every stage in northern Portugal. I also know many of the other finishes and locations and have a good idea of what to expect. The final stage is especially meaningful because it passes almost by my home, through Vila Nova de Gaia and Porto, my city, the city I love.<\/p>

I think it will be an incredible spectacle, both for the fans on the roadside and those watching on television, because Porto looks stunning on camera. It’s a dream. Just thinking about finishing on Avenida dos Aliados, passing there twice on a Sunday during the holiday season, gives me goosebumps. I know many friends and family members will be there. I want to give everything I have, and if I could win that day, it would truly be a dream come true.<\/p>

Friends, the dream of racing with Ivo, and a new direction for the Volta<\/strong><\/p>

Racing the Volta a Portugal will also give Rui Oliveira the rare opportunity to share the peloton with many Portuguese riders who are friends, former teammates, and training partners whenever he returns home.<\/p>

There are many people I care deeply about, and I know they genuinely want the best for me. They’re truly happy to see me lining up at the Volta a Portugal. Being able to exchange a smile or a few words with them during the race means a lot. Many people may not realize it, but I spend the entire year speaking another language inside the peloton. There are very few races where I get to ride alongside Portuguese cyclists. That’s one of the reasons I love racing the Volta ao Algarve. Sharing this race with them and competing against them will make me very proud.<\/p>

At the moment, Rui Oliveira is the only Portuguese rider confirmed in the UAE Team Emirates-XRG lineup for the Volta a Portugal. However, he admits that one of his dreams is to race the event alongside his twin brother, Ivo Oliveira, another leading Portuguese cyclist and his teammate.<\/p>

There are many races I’d love to do with him. We’ve already raced the Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a together, Madison World Championships, Road World Championships, and many other events. Racing the Olympic Games together would also be a dream.<\/p>

As for the Volta a Portugal, of course I’d love him to have this opportunity one day as well. And who knows, maybe we’ll race it together. You can feel that the Volta is moving in a new direction, and I think it’s a direction that many people appreciate. It’s good for Portuguese cycling and for international cycling. I believe that in the coming years we’ll be able to bring our team back again, along with more Portuguese riders.<\/p>

The race has been transformed. It will be an outstanding spectacle<\/strong><\/p>

For the fans following the race on the roadside, on RTP, RTP Play, and HBO Max, Rui Oliveira has a simple message:<\/p>

Enjoy cycling.<\/p>

I believe this year, more than ever, the race has been transformed in a very positive way. We have many outstanding Portuguese riders and very strong Portuguese teams. Bringing in more international teams doesn’t overshadow Portuguese cycling, because Portuguese cycling has tremendous quality.<\/p>

There will be a great balance, and fans can expect a fantastic show on television. We’ll ride through some of Portugal’s most beautiful regions and major cities, including the Algarve, Alentejo, the Douro Valley, and Ger\u00eas. The route is very well designed, and we’ll also visit legendary climbs such as Senhora da Gra\u00e7a and Torre. If people can come out to the roadside, they should. If they can’t, they should enjoy the race on television because it’s going to be a fantastic spectacle.<\/p>

The 87th Volta a Portugal em Bicicleta Jogos Santa Casa will take place from August 5 to 16 over a total distance of 1,388 kilometres. The race begins with a prologue in Lisbon and finishes on Avenida dos Aliados in Porto. Over twelve days of racing, the peloton will cross 71 municipalities, contest an individual time trial, make a visit to Spain, and tackle two legendary summit finishes at Torre and Alto da Senhora da Gra\u00e7a.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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