INEOS Grenadiers' new star signing Oscar Onley makes debut with British team at Volta ao Algarve

The Volta ao Algarve is a race that features a whole array of big figures of professional cycling every year and one more is set to be present next week in southern Portugal. Oscar Onley will be making his debut in INEOS Grenadiers colours at the five-day stage-race.

According to journalist Daniel Benson, the British team has decided to have the Scotsman make his debut in the team's colours in Portugal, alongside Kévin Vauquelin who will be in the same position, Filippo Ganna who is the main favourite to win the race's time trial, and also two-time Tour de France stage winner Thymen Arensman.

Onley only began his European stint to the season in April last season, opting to race in Australia and the UAE before beginning what would be a breakthrough summer that saw him finish fourth at the Tour de France. This performance, his young age and nationality were all key factors in INEOS Grenadiers' deployment of millions to buy out his contract from Team Picnic PostNL. Over the winter he spent some time in Australia, before making the trip to Europe for the team's training camp period. In the meantime, he is going to begin his season in the Algarve, where he will have two stages suited to the climbers where he can be expected to be in the fight for the win.

There, he will be facing the likes of João Almeida, Juan Ayuso, Florian Lipowitz and Derek Gee; a very high-level field in the mountains alone. The 19-kilometer long time trial in Vilamoura is also going to be a key day for Onley as he tries his new time trial setup for the first time in a race scenario.

Onley is set to race Paris-Nice, the Tour Auvergne - Rhône Alpes and also the Tour de France later this summer, where he should have a leading role ahead of the 2027 Tour that starts in his home country of Scotland.