The Volta a Portugal kicks off with a 5 kilometre prologue on Wednesday before ten other stages will challenge the peloton during the 75th edition of the race. The event is a major focus for Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung after its success last year with two stage wins.

Jay Thomson, while riding for an American team, won the opening road stage and wore the yellow jersey for several stages last year. The South African champion forms part of the line up this year for Africa’s first Professional Continental team.

Gerald Ciolek will target the sprint finishes while Sergio Pardilla is looking for a high finish in the overall race.

“The Volta a Portugal is a great event with tough conditions,” said Sports Director, Jens Zemke. “This race offers everything cycling is about. Hot weather, amazing mountain stages, fast sprints in beautiful scenery, a team time trial in the capital Lisbon and huge crowds of enthusiastic fans. The teams who will be at the start are very strong but our goal is to achieve important results and promote our project.”

The first three stages after the prologue are flat until stage 4, which should be the first test for the general classification riders as the day finishes on a category one climb.

MTN Qhubeka line-up for Volta a Portugal:

Dennis van Niekerk (RSA), Ferekalsi Debesay (ERI), Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU), Gerald Ciolek (GER), Jaco Venter (RSA), Jay Thomson (RSA) Johann van Zyl (RSA), Martin Reimer (GER) and Sergio Pardilla (ESP)