# 2012 Volta ao Algarve

The 2012 Volta ao Algarve was the 38th edition of the Volta ao Algarve cycling stage race. It was held from 15 to 19 February 2012, and was rated as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.
The race was won by Australia's Richie Porte, of Team Sky, after taking the overall lead with victory on the third stage, and held the lead to the end of the race. Porte's winning margin over runner-up Tony Martin (Omega Pharma–Quick-Step) – the defending race winner – was 37 seconds, and Porte's team-mate Bradley Wiggins completed the podium, seven seconds behind Martin and 44 seconds down on Porte. In the race's other classifications, Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen won the points classification, Efapel–Glassdrive pairing Sérgio Sousa and Raúl Alarcón won the mountains and sprints classifications respectively, and Team Sky finished at the head of the teams classification.

## Teams and cyclists

20 teams competed in the 2012 Volta ao Algarve. Among them were 11 UCI ProTour teams, four UCI Professional Continental teams, and five Continental teams.
The teams competing were:

## Stages
### Stage 1
#### 15 February 2012 — Dunas Douradas to Albufeira, 151.0 km (93.8 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | 4h 02' 17" |
| 2 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | s.t. |
| 3 | Matti Breschel (DEN) | Rabobank | s.t. |
| 4 | Björn Leukemans (BEL) | Vacansoleil–DCM | s.t. |
| 5 | Nicolas Roche (IRL) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 6 | Anthony Ravard (FRA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 7 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | s.t. |
| 8 | Michael Van Staeyen (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen–Mercator | s.t. |
| 9 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 10 | Jan Bakelants (BEL) | RadioShack–Nissan | s.t. |
| | Cyclist | Team | Time |
| 1 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | 4h 02' 07" |
| 2 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | + 4" |
| 3 | Matti Breschel (DEN) | Rabobank | + 6" |
| 4 | Björn Leukemans (BEL) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 10" |
| 5 | Nicolas Roche (IRL) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | + 10" |
| 6 | Anthony Ravard (FRA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | + 10" |
| 7 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | + 10" |
| 8 | Michael Van Staeyen (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen–Mercator | + 10" |
| 9 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Team Sky | + 10" |
| 10 | Jan Bakelants (BEL) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 10" |

### Stage 2
#### 16 February 2012 — Faro to Lagoa, 187.5 km (116.5 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Team Sky | 4h 57' 23" |
| 2 | Kris Boeckmans (BEL) | Vacansoleil–DCM | s.t. |
| 3 | Gerald Ciolek (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 4 | Matti Breschel (DEN) | Rabobank | s.t. |
| 5 | Anthony Ravard (FRA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 6 | Lloyd Mondory (FRA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 7 | Francesco Lasca (ITA) | Caja Rural | s.t. |
| 8 | Koldo Fernández (ESP) | Garmin–Barracuda | s.t. |
| 9 | Nikolas Maes (BEL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 10 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen–Mercator | s.t. |
| | Cyclist | Team | Time |
| 1 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Team Sky | 8h 59' 30" |
| 2 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 0" |
| 3 | Kris Boeckmans (BEL) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 4" |
| 4 | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | BMC Racing Team | + 4" |
| 5 | Matti Breschel (DEN) | Rabobank | + 6" |
| 6 | Anthony Ravard (FRA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | + 10" |
| 7 | Björn Leukemans (BEL) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 10" |
| 8 | Fabian Wegmann (GER) | Garmin–Barracuda | + 10" |
| 9 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | + 10" |
| 10 | Jan Bakelants (BEL) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 10" |

### Stage 3
#### 17 February 2012 — Castro Marim to Alto do Malhão, 194.6 km (120.9 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Richie Porte (AUS) | Team Sky | 4h 55' 11" |
| 2 | Tiago Machado (POR) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 8" |
| 3 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | + 8" |
| 4 | Johnny Hoogerland (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 24" |
| 5 | Wout Poels (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 24" |
| 6 | Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 24" |
| 7 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Barracuda | + 31" |
| 8 | José Mendes (POR) | LA–Antarte | + 35" |
| 9 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 40" |
| 10 | Bradley Wiggins (GBR) | Team Sky | + 40" |
| | Cyclist | Team | Time |
| 1 | Richie Porte (AUS) | Team Sky | 13h 54' 41" |
| 2 | Tiago Machado (POR) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 12" |
| 3 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | + 14" |
| 4 | Johnny Hoogerland (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 34" |
| 5 | Wout Poels (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 34" |
| 6 | Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 34" |
| 7 | José Mendes (POR) | LA–Antarte | + 45" |
| 8 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Barracuda | + 48" |
| 9 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 49" |
| 10 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 50" |

### Stage 4
#### 18 February 2012 — Vilamoura to Tavira, 186.3 km (115.8 mi)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Gerald Ciolek (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | 4h 35' 01" |
| 2 | Matteo Trentin (ITA) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | s.t. |
| 3 | Heinrich Haussler (AUS) | Garmin–Barracuda | s.t. |
| 4 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Team Sky | s.t. |
| 5 | Francesco Lasca (ITA) | Caja Rural | s.t. |
| 6 | Koldo Fernández (ESP) | Garmin–Barracuda | s.t. |
| 7 | Kris Boeckmans (BEL) | Vacansoleil–DCM | s.t. |
| 8 | Anthony Ravard (FRA) | Ag2r–La Mondiale | s.t. |
| 9 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | s.t. |
| 10 | Michael Van Staeyen (BEL) | Topsport Vlaanderen–Mercator | s.t. |
| | Cyclist | Team | Time |
| 1 | Richie Porte (AUS) | Team Sky | 18h 29' 42" |
| 2 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | + 12" |
| 3 | Tiago Machado (POR) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 12" |
| 4 | Johnny Hoogerland (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 34" |
| 5 | Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 34" |
| 6 | Wout Poels (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 34" |
| 7 | José Mendes (POR) | LA–Antarte | + 45" |
| 8 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Barracuda | + 48" |
| 9 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 49" |
| 10 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 50" |

### Stage 5
#### 19 February 2012 — Lagoa to Portimão, 25.8 km (16.0 mi), individual time trial (ITT)

| | Rider | Team | Time |
| 1 | Bradley Wiggins (GBR) | Team Sky | 32' 48" |
| 2 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 0" |
| 3 | Richie Porte (AUS) | Team Sky | + 13" |
| 4 | Tejay van Garderen (USA) | BMC Racing Team | + 14" |
| 5 | Jesse Sergent (NZL) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 14" |
| 6 | Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 29" |
| 7 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Barracuda | + 39" |
| 8 | Michał Kwiatkowski (POL) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 53" |
| 9 | Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) | Team Sky | + 56" |
| 10 | Luis León Sánchez (ESP) | Rabobank | + 56" |
| | Cyclist | Team | Time |
| 1 | Richie Porte (AUS) | Team Sky | 19h 02' 43" |
| 2 | Tony Martin (GER) | Omega Pharma–Quick-Step | + 37" |
| 3 | Bradley Wiggins (GBR) | Team Sky | + 44" |
| 4 | Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 50" |
| 5 | Rui Costa (POR) | Movistar Team | + 58" |
| 6 | Tiago Machado (POR) | RadioShack–Nissan | + 1' 02" |
| 7 | Tejay van Garderen (USA) | BMC Racing Team | + 1' 13" |
| 8 | Andrew Talansky (USA) | Garmin–Barracuda | + 1' 14" |
| 9 | Johnny Hoogerland (NED) | Vacansoleil–DCM | + 1' 33" |
| 10 | Gianni Meersman (BEL) | Lotto–Belisol | + 1' 39" |

## Classification leadership

| Stage | Winner | General Classification | Mountains Classification | Sprints Classification | Points Classification | Teams Classification |
| 1 | Gianni Meersman | Gianni Meersman | Karsten Kroon | Karsten Kroon | Gianni Meersman | Ag2r–La Mondiale |
| 2 | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Karsten Kroon | Raúl Alarcón | Matti Breschel | Vacansoleil–DCM |
| 3 | Richie Porte | Richie Porte | Sérgio Sousa | Raúl Alarcón | Matti Breschel | Movistar Team |
| 4 | Gerald Ciolek | Richie Porte | Sérgio Sousa | Raúl Alarcón | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Movistar Team |
| 5 | Bradley Wiggins | Richie Porte | Sérgio Sousa | Raúl Alarcón | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Team Sky |
| Final | Final | Richie Porte | Sérgio Sousa | Raúl Alarcón | Edvald Boasson Hagen | Team Sky |