Volta a Portugal

Race details
Date	August
Region	Portugal
English name	Tour of Portugal
Local name(s)	Volta a Portugal (Portuguese)
Discipline	Road
Competition	UCI Europe Tour
Type	Stage race 2.HC
Race director	Joaquim Gomes
History
First edition	1927
Editions	71 (as of 2009)
First winner	Augusto de Carvalho (PRT)
Most wins	Marco Chagas (PRT) (4)
Most recent	David Blanco (ESP)

The Volta a Portugal is a long distance road bicycle race for professionals held in Portugal. The competition takes place annually during a two-week span.

[edit] History

The competition started in 1927, however it second edition only occurred in 1931. In 1936 and 1937 the tour would not take place. During the WW2 the race would be stopped, again, during the period 1942-1945. In 1975 due the Carnation Revolution the competition was skipped.

In the period 1940-1980 the competition was held during three weeks. Since the 80s it was reduced the period of two weeks. As of 2005 the race consisted only of ten stages. It is one of the eldest races by stages in the world. Although not so important as the three Grand Tour it is an important competition that in the last few years has been losing importance, specially due the fact that in the most recent period it takes places immediately after the Tour de France, and before the Vuelta a España avoiding the participation of major teams and cyclists.

[edit] List of winners

Rider Team 1927 Carvalho, Augusto deAugusto de Carvalho (PRT) Carcavelos 1928 No race 1929 No race 1930 No race 1931 Nicolau, Jose MariaJosé Maria Nicolau (PRT) Benfica 1932 Trindade, AlfredoAlfredo Trindade (PRT) Rio de Janeiro 1933 Trindade, AlfredoAlfredo Trindade (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1934 Nicolau, Jose MariaJosé Maria Nicolau (PRT) Benfica 1935 Luis, CesarCésar Luís (PRT) Leões do Alentejo 1936 No race 1937 No race 1938 Albuquerque, JoseJosé Albuquerque (PRT) Campo de Ourique 1939 Fernandes, JoaquimJoaquim Fernandes (PRT) CUF 1940 Albuquerque, JoseJosé Albuquerque (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1941 Inacio, FranciscoFrancisco Inácio (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1942– 1945 No race due to World War II 1946 Martins, JoseJosé Martins (PRT) Iluminante 1947 Martins, JoseJosé Martins (PRT) Benfica 1948 Moreira, FernandoFernando Moreira (PRT) FC Porto 1949 Santos, Dias dosDias dos Santos (PRT) FC Porto 1950 Santos, Dias dosDias dos Santos (PRT) FC Porto 1951 Barbosa, AlvesAlves Barbosa (PRT) Sangalhos 1952 Sá, Moreira deMoreira de Sá (PRT) FC Porto 1953 No race 1954 No race 1955 Silva, Ribeiro daRibeiro da Silva (PRT) Académico do Porto 1956 Barbosa, AlvesAlves Barbosa (PRT) Sangalhos 1957 Silva, Ribeiro daRibeiro da Silva (PRT) Académico do Porto 1958 Barbosa, AlvesAlves Barbosa (PRT) Sangalhos 1959 Carvalho, CarlosCarlos Carvalho (PRT) FC Porto 1960 Cardoso, SousaSousa Cardoso (PRT) FC Porto 1961 Silva, MarioMário Silva (PRT) FC Porto 1962 Pacheco, JoseJosé Pacheco (PRT) FC Porto 1963 Roque, JoaoJoão Roque (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1964 Leao, JoaquimJoaquim Leão (PRT) FC Porto 1965 Alves, PeixotoPeixoto Alves (PRT) Benfica 1966 Valada, FranciscoFrancisco Valada (PRT) Benfica 1967 Houbrechts, AntoineAntoine Houbrechts (BEL) Flandria 1968 Silva, AmericoAmérico Silva (PRT) Benfica 1969 Andrade, JoaquimJoaquim Andrade (PRT) Sangalhos 1970 Agostinho, JoaquimJoaquim Agostinho (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1971 Agostinho, JoaquimJoaquim Agostinho (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1972 Agostinho, JoaquimJoaquim Agostinho (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1973 Manzaneque, JesusJesus Manzaneque (ESP) Messias 1974 Mendes, FernandoFernando Mendes (PRT) Benfica 1975 No race due to Carnation Revolution 1976 Bernardino, FirminoFirmino Bernardino (PRT) Benfica 1977 Teixeira, AdelinoAdelino Teixeira (PRT) Lousa 1978 Silva, BelmiroBelmiro Silva (PRT) Coimbrões 1979 Sousa Santos, JoaquimJoaquim Sousa Santos (PRT) FC Porto 1980 Miranda, FranciscoFrancisco Miranda (PRT) Lousa 1981 Zeferino, ManuelManuel Zeferino (PRT) FC Porto 1982 Chagas, MarcoMarco Chagas (PRT) FC Porto 1983 Chagas, MarcoMarco Chagas (PRT) Mako Jeans 1984 Fernandes, VenceslauVenceslau Fernandes (PRT) Ajacto 1985 Chagas, MarcoMarco Chagas (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1986 Chagas, MarcoMarco Chagas (PRT) Sporting Clube de Portugal 1987 Cunha, ManuelManuel Cunha (PRT) Sicasal/Torreense 1988 Theakston, CaynCayn Theakston (GBR) Louletano/Vale do Lobo 1989 Gomes, JoaquimJoaquim Gomes (PRT) Sicasal/Torreense 1990 Carvalho, FernandoFernando Carvalho (PRT) Ruquita/Feirense 1991 Silva, JorgeJorge Silva (PRT) Sicasal/Acral 1992 Freitas, CassioCássio Freitas (BRA) Recer/Boavista 1993 Gomes, JoaquimJoaquim Gomes (PRT) Recer/Boavista FCBoavista 1994 Rodrigues, OrlandoOrlando Rodrigues (PRT) Artiach 1995 Rodrigues, OrlandoOrlando Rodrigues (PRT) Artiach 1996 Lelli, MassimilianoMassimiliano Lelli (ITA) Saeco/Levira 1997 Jaskula, ZenonZenon Jaskuła (POL) Mapei 1998 Serpellini, MarcoMarco Serpellini (ITA) Brescialat 1999 Plaza, DavidDavid Plaza (ESP) Benfica (Lisbon)Benfica 2000 Gamito, VitorVítor Gamito (PRT) Porta da Ravessa 2001 Jeker, FabianFabian Jeker (SUI) Milaneza/MSS 2002 Moller, ClausClaus Moller (DEN) Milaneza/MSS 2003 Ribeiro, NunoNuno Ribeiro (PRT) LA/Pecol 2004 Bernabeu, DavidDavid Bernabéu (ESP) Milaneza/Maia 2005 Efimkin, VladimirVladimir Efimkin (RUS) Barloworld 2006 Blanco, DavidDavid Blanco (ESP) Comunidad Valenciana 2007 Tondo, XavierXavier Tondo (ESP) LA-MSS 2008 Blanco, DavidDavid Blanco (ESP) Palmeiras Resort/Tavira 2009 Blanco, DavidDavid Blanco (ESP) Palmeiras Resort/Prio/Tavira

[edit] External links

• Official website