Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski line up for Team Sky at Volta ao Algarve

Former Volta ao Algarve winners Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski will line up for the 2018 edition of the Portuguese stage race in February

Geraint Thomas and Michal Kwiatkowski
(Image credit: Yuzuru Sunada)

Welshman Geraint Thomas and Pole Michal Kwiatkowski will headline Team Sky's line-up for the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal over February 14-18.

Both riders are former overall winners of the race, with Thomas having claimed the victory in 2015 and 2016 and Kwiatkowski in 2014, when he was riding for Omega Pharma-Quick Step.

The pair will be joined by Owain Doull, Kenny Elissonde, Michal Golas, Vasil Kiryienka and Lukasz Wisniowski in Sky's seven-rider line-up, which will see Thomas's 2018 competitive debut.

Primož Roglič (LottoNL-Jumbo) claimed the overall victory in last year's edition of the race, with Kwiatkowski  placing second.

The 2018 Volta ao Algarve comprises five stages, with stage two's summit finish at Fóia, stage five's finale on Alto do Malhão and stage three's 20.3km individual time trial the significant factors in settling the general classification.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AntnS1WXA4

Meanwhile, Sky has also confirmed the list of rider accompanying Chris Froome at his season debut in the Ruta del Sol in Spain over February 14-18.

Froome is joined by a strong team consisting of David de la Cruz, Philip Deignan, Chris Froome, Christian Knees, Wout Poels, Salvatore Puccio and Dylan van Baarle.

>>> Ruta del Sol 2018: Everything you need to know about Chris Froome’s return to racing

The hilly race will be decided by the final day's individual time trial, comprising 14.2 flat kilometres.

Froome is currently waiting to hear the decision on his adverse analytical finding for salbutamol at the 2017 Vuelta a España. He is currently clear to race, and is forging ahead with preparations to ride the Giro d'Italia in May.

 

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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.