Tour of Portugal

Team Vorarlberg eager to defend its title

Team Vorarlberg wants to celebrate again in Portugal.

(Bild: Volta a Portugal/MATIAS NOVO)

It has been almost a year since Swiss rider Colin Stüssi achieved the greatest success in the 26-year history of Team Vorarlberg in Portugal. A triumph that mastermind Thomas Kofler's cycling team and the 31-year-old Stüssi would love to repeat from Wednesday.

"This overall victory is the most valuable in the 25-year history of the team from a sporting point of view and the greatest success since Victor de la Parte's overall victory in the Tour of Austria in 2015," said Team Vorarlberg manager Thomas Kofler after his Swiss rider Colin Stüssi triumphed in Viano de Castelo on August 20, 2023 in the 84th edition of the Tour of Portugal. "It was a victory for the whole team."

Return as defending champion
Eleven months later, the time has come again and the Kofler-Équipe is on its way to Portugal, where the starting signal for the 85th Volta a Portugal will be given tomorrow in Agueda with a prologue time trial over 5.6 kilometers. Defending champion Stüssi, who has remained loyal to the Ländle racing team, will also be taking part. "It will be a big challenge again, especially as defending champion," says the 31-year-old, who recently proved his good form with his victory at the Erlauftaler Radsporttage. "Nevertheless, and precisely for this reason, we are motivated and will give our best, just like last year."

"We have been underestimated"
German Lukas Meiler, who Werner Salmen, sporting director of Team Vorarlberg, is sending as captain into the 1540-kilometre tour, which will end after ten stages on 4 August with a time trial in Viseu, is even more aggressive. "We're going into the start with the aim of defending our title, even if it won't be an easy task," says the 29-year-old and Alexander Konychev (It) agrees: "Our top priority is the overall standings for Colin!"

Mastermind Kofler also knows that this goal will certainly not be so easy to achieve: "Last year, the competition in Portugal underestimated us. That's different this year. We are now the hunted, but all the riders and the broad support team are ready to tackle the eleven days of racing with focus and the best possible preparation!"