On day 16 starts the 9th edition of the Volta ao Porto. The Volta starts traditional with the Porto Prologue. Ten stages later the tour will finish with a parade race in Porto. The tour of this year contains three time trials, three mountain stages including the King’s stage and four sprint stages. The most special of this edition is that for the first there isn’t any Portuguese rider on the starting list. It is a pity because Portuguese riders performed well in several editions of the Volta. We can talk about riders that did not sign up, but let’s see who did sign up.
  
   adamo1999
  This young Polish team goes to Portugal with the young Fido Fernandez as captain. Fernandez can count on the support of Poland’s number one, Dionizy Ignaciuk. It’s hard to say if Fernandez is already capable to ride a good General Classification, however he is the big favorite to bring the Young Classification jersey home.
  
   Asymm Project
  Asymm Project will join with Aksana Putin, winner of the latest edition of the Volta ao Porto. In previous edition he was able to beat Bauwens (Team Crazy Dowhillers) in the last time trial of the tour and he could secure the GC win. This season Putin has a strong team around him that should give him a podium spot in the GC.
  
   blast
  No GC ambitions for blast, he is aiming for the sprint stages. blast has lined up two very good sprinters. Jan Thomsen will be the captain of the team in the sprint stages and he can count on some good support from the Swedish Willy Malmros. Malmros and the other lead outs should bring Thomsen a podium spot in the SC.
  
   Bywater CT
  One of the strongest teams that is signed up for the Volta. Clear captain of the team is Kasper Czechowski. The Polish rider is in a very good shape and can count on some good support. With Czechowski Bywater CT got a potential top three rider in his team.
  
   Cycling Nieuwegein
  Team Cycling Nieuwegein spreads her chances. The will start with a climber and a time trialist. Considering there is not a very strong support for the climber Bert Boswijk, the captain will be the time trialist Teofil Ga??zka. The expectations are high because he needs to score points for the team in the time trials an should be able to go for a stage win.
  
   Die Tour Phantome
  Die Tour Phantome came to Portugal with a mission, to go for a good GC. This will weigh heavy on the shoulders of Falur Sigfinnursson. The Icelander that besides his climbing skills is able to do good time trials as well. Besides Sigfinnursson Die Tour Phantome has another strong rider. Egidio Bonomi. Will Bonomi be the foreman or will he starts as a vice-captain?
  
   Equipe Hollandia
  The Dutch Equipe Hollandia is currently busy with a big reorganization, which is reflected in the Volta squad. The only price where Equipe Hollandia is eligible for is the one of the most combative rider. More than attacking and praying for a successful break away is all the team can do.
  
   IndieRock
  This Italian team spreads their chances. They will start with a time trialist en some climbers. A good GC cannot be expected from this team, because the climbers are not able to do a good time trial. A GC cannot be expected, but some short classifications or stage results should be possible in most of the stages.
  
   Legia
  The experienced Garcia Dabino is the leader of team Legia. The exotic rider from the Balearic Islands has proven that he is able to ride a good GC, as you can see on the results he got in the Germany Tour. Dabino can count on some good support, one of those supporting riders is Ulvis Aktieris. This Latvian rider should be able to ride a good YC, but supporting his captain will probably be the main goal.
  
  
  
   minions of static
  One of the riders of minions of static is a well-known name: Vincent Aerssen. The experienced Dutch got some nice results in the latest editions of the Volta ao Porto. The last four times he finished in the GC with

a top 10. Will he be able to add another top 10 GC this season? Aerssen has some decent support. Only Mok Yuk-sin seems a bit vague. He is still struggling with the loss of his great leader, Kim Jung-Il.
  
   mortenryt
  mortenryt bet’s on multiple horses. Clear captain of this team is the 22 year old Greek Thanassis Dadakos. He will be supported by a team that will also bring a hiller and a sprinter to Portugal. From Dadakos can be expected that he will finish with the best in the time trials. To win the YC will be hard, because he lacks some climbing skills, however a top 5 will be a possibility.
  
   Nairobi City Cycling Club
  This team came to the Volta with one goal. The time trials. The expectations of the NCCB’s time trialists are that they will score multiple podium spots in the Volta. However there are three time trials in this Volta the mountains will probably be too high for the time trialists, so a good GC cannot be expected.
  
   Onie
  Team Onie didn’t bring climbers with him in the Volta, they will try to get some results with Nicolaas Arnolds in the sprinting stages. The team is built around Arnolds, however they will try to get some results in the time trials as well. However with the current competition it will be hard to get some results in the time trials.
  
   Poker21
  This Mauritanian squad finished with two riders in the top 10 last season, and came back for another Volta, this time without Lefever. The number 2 of last season, Willis Stilwell will be the captain for this season. And he can rely on a strong team, which should be able to give him some strong support in the mountains. Stilwell got everything in his to take another shot at the GC.
  
   Quick step minded
  After one season of absence, the Belgian team Quick step minded is back in the Volta. This time entered with two sprint guns. Izak van Bethlehem & Evan Topper. These two sprinters got some good support. They can count on the strongest lead out train of this Volta. The goal? To take home the jersey of the SC.
  
   Team Crazy Downhillers
  Just like last season Team Crazy Downhillers will join the Volta with as captain Chris Bauwens. Last season Bauwens lost the lead in the GC in the last time trial. Now he is back to take revenge. The Belgian climber gathers some strong team around himself. Will the strong team and the good shape of Bauwens be enough to win the Volta’s GC? We will see.
  
   Telstra
   Captain of this Australian dedicated team is Goddard Scothern. This all-rounder should be able to get a nice result in the SC and the GC. Because Scothern got some nice team mates and no lead outs, the SC will be hard. That main goal for Scothern is the GC, and he will look with one eye to the SC.
  
   The Doomsday Bunnies
   The team from Saint Lucia heads to Portugal with her strongest selection. With a sprinter and a tour rider he is able to bet on multiple horses, however Crusellas cannot count on many support. So the captain will be the Swiss Nicolas Brunschwig. Various sources claim that Brunschwig will start in topform, we tried to confirm this rumor, but were not able to get a phone connection with Switzerland because of the huge amount of snow that was fallen.
  
   Unibet SWE
   Willem Zethof & Monte Velloso are the strongest riders of Unibet SWE. However Velloso should be able to ride some short results, it looks like has to support his captain Zethof. Zethof who still can fight for the YC can use all the support of the team to get on the YC podium.
  
   Vacansoleil op kop
   With Dries Francx & Vyacheslav Nikonov this team can set some results in the mountain and sprinting stages. Nikinov should be able to finish with the best 10 in this Volta. A big loss for Nikonov is the injury of Delduca. Because of the injury the captain has to ride the first mountain stage without his foreman.
  
  Written by freelancer Onie from Onie to OCM Magazine