Preview Figueira Champions Classic 2024 | Evenepoel aims for powerful start in Portugal!

In addition to the Tour of the Algarve, starting from last year there is another one-day race on the Portuguese cycling program: the Figueira Champions Classic, organized in February. The race has moved from the 1.1 to the 1.Pro category, and this upgrade also ensures a growing field of participants, including Remco Evenepoel, who will also be at the starting line this year. IDLProCycling.com walks you through everything you need to know!

Last season, Casper Pedersen (on behalf of Soudal Quick-Step) hit the mark in Figueira da Foz. The strong Dane was the best of a group of twelve riders, following perfect preparatory work by Rémi Cavagna. Rune Herregodts and Marijn van den Berg joined him on the podium, while local hero Rui Costa had to settle for fourth place.

Practical information Figueira Champions Classic 2024

• Saturday, February 10, 2024
• Participants 
• Classification: 1.Pro
  

In this article

• Most recent winners
• Course, weather and times
• Favorites
• TV information

Most recent winners Figueira Champions Classic 

2023 Casper Pedersen

Course, weather and times Figueira Champions Classic 2024

Just like last year, we start in Sao Pedro, and finish once again in Figueira da Foz. However, there have also been significant changes to the course. Anyone comparing the profiles of both editions will notice that the race has become much tougher this time around. While the Figueira Champions Classic was 190 kilometers long last season, this year it has been extended to 222 kilometers.

This is mainly due to an extra local lap in Figueira da Foz, located between the major cities of Porto and Lisbon. The two decisive climbs (Rua Parque Forestal, two kilometers at 8 percent, and Enforca Caes, 900 meters at 10.3 percent) are still featured in the course and must both be tackled four times, with six kilometers remaining to the finish after the last go. The first two of these are downhill, but the final stretch is flat.

Weather
The weather conditions are not great in Portugal this week. There is a lot of rain, and that remains a possibility for Saturday, with a strong wind from the west and temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius.

Times
Start: 11:35 AM (12:35 PM Dutch time)
Finish: 4:45 PM (5:45 PM Dutch time)

Favorites Figueira Champions Classic 2024

"Race ready," Remco Evenepoel wrote on Wednesday, during his training on Strava. "Remco is eager, and he wants to show something special," team director Iljo Keisse stated in the press release announcing the Soudal Quick-Step team for this Figueira Champions Classic. That means the Belgian champion, who will have the likes of Mikel Landa by his side, is keen to make a significant impact in his first race of the season. Top favorite Evenepoel: check!

However, the competition is tough, so it won't be easy for him. Andrea Bagioli, making his debut for Lidl-Trek, will be looking to assert his leadership leading up to the Ardennes races here. At UAE-Team Emirates, they have local rider Antonio Morgado who could also challenge Evenepoel, which is even more the case for Marc Hirschi if he is in his best form.

Rui Costa, who finished fourth last year, is naturally the Portuguese cycling god as a former world champion. He competes with EF Education-EasyPost, alongside Mikkel Honoré and James Shaw. Another local rider is Ruben Guerreiro, who is bringing along Pelayo Sanchez (already successful in Mallorca), Ivan Romeo and Antonio Pedrero on behalf of Movistar.

Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse and Lars Boven will represent Alpecin-Deceuninck, while Intermarché-Wanty has last year's runner-up, Rune Herregodts, in their team. Other outsiders include Simone Velasco, Cristian Scaroni (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Vincenzo Albanese, Matis Louvel (Arkea - B&B Hotels) and Marius Mayrhofer (Tudor). But to a greater or lesser extent, their chances all depend on how Evenepoel races...

Results powered by FirstCycling.com

Who are the favorites for the Figueira Champions Classic 2024, according to IDLProCycling.com?

Top favorites: Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) and Andrea Bagioli (Lidl-Trek)
Outsiders: Marc Hirschi (UAE-Team Emirates), Rui Costa (EF Education-EasyPost) and Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step)
Long shots: Antonio Morgado (UAE-Team Emirates), Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Mikkel Honoré (EF Edcuation-EasyPost), Ruben Guerreiro, Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Wanty), Simone Velasco (Astana) and Vincenzo Albanese (Arkéa - B&B Hotels)

TV Figueira Champions Classic 2024

As is almost always the case, Eurosport is there for us with a broadcast. The sports channel will broadcast the Figueira Champions Classic on Saturday afternoon after the finish of the Tour of Murcia, on both Eurosport 1 and Eurosport.com.