Flagless Champion Nych Rolls Into Volta a Portugal Relaxed

Defending champions rarely look as relaxed as Artem Nych did when he rolled into the Maia start-zone this afternoon. The Russian rider who conquered last year’s Volta a Portugal says he feels lighter, stronger and strangely liberated—ideal chemistry for an event that asks cyclists to survive 1 581 km of unpredictable Iberian summer.

Why the absence of pressure could reshape the podium

Nych admitted that winning in 2024 removed the “weight of expectation.” For expatriates who follow the race each August, that comment is revealing: the psychological armour carried into the mountains often proves as decisive as the gearing. In last year’s penultimate stage to Senhora da Graça he clawed back minutes from a doomed position, proving he thrives in chaos. This season, however, he insists the primary goal is to ride smart, not desperate. “You never know what a Grand Tour will throw at you,” he told reporters inside Anicolor-Tien21’s Vizela service bay, before adding—without a hint of irony—that a calmer attitude “might make the week tougher for everyone else.”

A champion obliged to race under a neutral flag

Fans arriving from abroad may be surprised to see the defending title-holder’s nationality conspicuously missing from TV graphics. Under UCI neutrality rules drafted after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes compete without flag, anthem or national kit. Broadcast partners such as RTP follow suit, listing Nych simply as an “Individual Neutral Athlete.” The rider has complied quietly, avoiding public comment on the matter. That silence, while politically charged, ensures he remains eligible for Portuguese races—and sidesteps the diplomatic undertow that occasionally surfaces in roadside conversations.

The course foreigners should keep on their radar

This 86th edition is a roller-coaster even by Portuguese standards: five summit finishes, six high-and-medium mountain days and scarcely a kilometre of flat tarmac. Tavira, Castelo Branco, Torre and Serra da Estrela all feature, giving newcomers a geographic tour of Portugal’s interior. Crucially for Lisbon-based viewers, the race concludes on 17 August with a 16.7 km individual time trial that snakes through the capital’s waterfront. Nych sees that finale as “the perfect insurance policy” should he lose seconds at altitude.

Anicolor-Tien21: more than a one-man show

Publicly, team director Rúben Pereira has anointed Nych sole leader. Privately, the peloton senses a broader threat. French climber Alexis Guérin, Spanish all-rounder Rubén Fernández and Colombian prospect Jesús David Peña all wear green-and-orange this month. Nych downplays hierarchy, calling the squad “a collection of co-leaders” rather than domestiques. The internal depth matters: last year’s triumph sprang from two breakaways where Guérin marked rivals, allowing his Russian teammate to launch at will.

A new coach and a data-driven regimen

For three seasons Nych relied on intuition, logging thousands of kilometres largely alone in Catalonia. That changed over winter when he hired an unnamed performance coach with WorldTour credentials. Sessions now revolve around power-meter analytics, altitude blocks in Andorra and precisely timed recovery weeks. The rider claims he “used to train too much” and that external planning has left him fresher for Portugal’s “continuous ups and downs—even on so-called easy days.”

Maia prologue: early clues but no verdict yet

Today’s 3.4 km dash through the streets of Maia offered the first glimpse of form, although official results had not been released by press time. Crowds lining Avenida Luís de Camões watched riders thread traffic islands at 55 km/h before a short cobbled rise to the finish. Nych rolled down the start ramp at 17:09 looking composed, aero helmet glinting under late-afternoon sunshine. Time checks suggested the favourite stayed within seconds of provisional leaders, but the general classification fight will only ignite once the race hits the northern highlands later this week.

Practical tips for watching the race in Portugal

If you’re new to the spectacle, arrive early: parking closes hours before the peloton sweeps through small towns. Rural cafés along the route often broadcast RTP’s feed, turning into impromptu fan zones where locals happily translate race jargon. Bring cash—portable card terminals can be unreliable in mountainous districts—and carry sun protection; August asphalt regularly exceeds 40 °C. Should you plan to catch the Lisbon time trial, riverside vantage points near Cais do Sodré provide both shade and dramatic aerial views of riders blasting past the Tagus.

The bottom line for expats

A more serene yet scientifically prepared Artem Nych returns to Portugal as the man to beat, but the 2025 edition offers plenty of plot twists: political neutrality rules, a deeper Anicolor roster and a course tailor-made for ambushes. Whether you watch from a café in Guarda or a bridge in Lisbon, the coming eleven days promise a masterclass in tactical resilience—and a vivid window into Portugal’s summer rhythm.