Favorites stage 2 Tour of the Algarve 2024 | Evenepoel heading towards own statue, with Van Aert the spoiler on the horizon

"The second stage of the Tour of the Algarve starts in Lagoa, which is located half an hour away from Wednesday's finishing location: namely Lagos. From Lagoa, we head inland towards the Alto de Foia on Thursday. This climb has been part of the route in southern Portugal for several years now and therefore holds few surprises for the participating teams, although the wind often plays a role in the race.

On the way, the legs will already be warmed up with some hills. After just over 75 kilometers, the Alto de Choca appears, 1.8 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6.2 percent. This is followed by an intermediate section, before the Alferce (3 kilometers at 7.1 percent) and Pomba (3.8 kilometers at 7.9 percent) ramps up the challenge in the last 25 kilometers.

The main course, however, is the Alto de Foia, 7.5 kilometers long with an average gradient of 5.9 percent. This marks the ninth consecutive year of the race reaching this summit, where it usually ends in a sprint among a select group uphill. Indeed, the Alto de Foia is generally too consistent for significant breakaways, but towards the end, a well-timed lead-out can still make a difference.

In the previous season, Magnus Cort managed to capitalize on a mistake and won the stage after Ilan Van Wilder celebrated too early; the season before that David Gaudu took the win after a collision involving Sergio Higuita and Tobias Foss. In previous years, we've also seen Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel triumph, with the latter even being honored with a statue atop the climb. It's possible that he could repeat that honor at the highest point of the Algarve once again."

Climbs
77.7 km: Alto de Choca (1.8 km a 6.2%)
146.2 km: Alferce (3 km a 7.1%)
158.2 km: Pomba (3.8 km a 7.9%)
171.9 km: Alto de Foia (7.5 km a 5.9%)

Times
Start: 12:00 pm (1:00 pm Dutch time)
Finish: 4:30 pm (5:30 pm Dutch time)

There's a chance of rain around Foia on Thursday, but with temperatures hovering around 17 degrees Celsius, the wind adds an interesting dynamic. Coming from the west, it means it's mostly head-on for the final climb. Just under two kilometers from the finish, there's a right-hand bend that leads somewhat unfavorably all the way to the finish line, exposing riders to crosswinds.

Remco Evenepoel has a statue of himself on the Alto de Foia, and given his sense of honor, it's quite likely that he'll want to replicate his victory celebration from 2020 by crossing the finish line first in this stage. Evenepoel wasn't known for explosiveness back then, but those who witnessed his attacks in races like Liège-Bastogne-Liège or the Figueira Champions Classic know better now.

He'll face competition from Wout van Aert of Visma | Lease a Bike, who boasts explosiveness aplenty. Van Aert was notably absent from the opening sprint in Portugal on Wednesday, so this stage might suit him better. Milan Vader and Jan Tratnik also have good chances uphill, although Sepp Kuss might find it too straightforward.

INEOS Grenadiers, with riders like Tom Pidcock, Magnus Sheffield, Geraint Thomas, and Thymen Arensman, could shake things up. Pidcock, coming from a mountain biking background, is known for his punch, while Sheffield possesses a strong sprint. BORA-hansgrohe also presents a formidable lineup with Sergio Higuita (who crashed in a promising position last year), Max Schachmann (runner-up behind Evenepoel in 2020), and Daniel Felipe Martínez (overall winner in 2023).

"The same goes for Lidl-Trek's Tao Geoghegan Hart and puncher Andrea Bagioli, who may surprise in their debut. Isaac del Toro already demonstrated his capabilities on behalf of UAE-Team Emirates in Australia, indicating he is a contender for such finishes, as did teammates Marc Hirschi and young local rider Antonio Morgado. EF Education-EasyPost, on the other hand, is banking on the diesel duo Ben Healy/Rui Costa.

Magnus Cort emerged victorious last year, but whether he still has the legs remains uncertain. If not, our attention would rather shift to Astana-Italians Simone Velasco and Cristian Scaroni as potential surprises, or Intermarché-Wanty's Rune Herregodts, tipped by stage winner Gerben Thijssen.

Top favorites: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Tom Pidcock (INEOS Grenadiers), Sergio Higuita (BORA-hansgrohe), Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek) and Isaac del Toro (UAE-Team Emirates)
Long shots: Daniel Felipe Martínez (BORA-hansgrohe), Ben Healy, Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost), Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers), Tao Geogehgan Hart (Lidl-Trek), Jan Tratnik, Milan Vader (Visma | Lease a Bike), Marc Hirschi (UAE-Team Emirates) and Simone Velasco (Astana Qazaqstan Team)