Volta a Portugal crosses protected Mata da Albergaria reserve as 15 protesters warn of precedent

Stage and route

The seventh stage of the 87th Volta a Portugal em bicicleta ran on 13 August 2026, covering 153 kilometres between Vieira do Minho and Vila do Gerês. After roughly 50 kilometres that included passages past the Ermal dam and the Caniçada reservoir, the riders began the climb toward the Portela do Homem on the Portuguese-Spanish border, with a first-category mountain classification along the way. The stage featured two mountain classifications of contrasting character: the serene Mata da Albergaria and the more animated ascent at Germil, where hundreds of spectators gathered.

The route's passage through Mata da Albergaria, inside the Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês, had been one of the stage's most discussed elements. The area is classified as a Reserva Biogenética by the Council of Europe since 1988 and as a Reserva da Biosfera Transfronteiriça Gerês-Xurés by UNESCO since 2009. It also forms part of the Rede Natura 2000 network and shelters carvalhais galaico-portugueses (Galician-Portuguese oak woods) alongside species such as martas, gatos-bravos, and salamandras-lusitânicas.

Protest and concerns

About 15 protesters gathered in Vila do Gerês displaying signs such as "Volta para trás" and "Volta sim, na Mata não". Pedro Ribeiro de Castro, spokesperson for an informal civic group formed after the race's official presentation on 8 July, said the movement never aimed to boycott the event but to alert municipalities and the ICNF.

Nunca foi nosso objetivo boicotar a prova e impedir que os ciclistas passassem. Quisemos alertar os municípios e o Instituto de Conservação da Natureza e Florestas (ICNF). Isto pode criar um grande precedente.

Ribeiro de Castro argued that rather than promoting the location, authorities should be discussing how to reduce existing human pressure on the national park. He accused the Câmara Municipal de Terras de Bouro of treating the area as a tourism promotion tool and said the ICNF's restrictions, announced on 4 August, were "manifestamente insuficientes". He also criticised the ICNF for a lack of transparency, saying the institute issued an opinion days earlier but nobody knows its arguments.

Organisers and restrictions

The ICNF authorised the crossing with strong restrictions, and the race organisation implemented additional limitations to reduce environmental impact. Inside the reserve, the usual mountain classification arches were removed; instead, ICNF vigilantes and organisation members held signs indicating the remaining kilometres. The race caravan lowered its noise levels upon entering the protected zone.

Ezequiel Mosquera, head of Emesports and co-organiser of the Volta, accompanied the stage from the race director's vehicle and described the passage through the dense, cool forest.

Estou arrepiado pelo silêncio que ali havia. Só estávamos praticamente nós.

The race director guaranteed that any rider caught leaving litter in the Mata da Albergaria would be expelled from the race. Ribeiro de Castro remained unconvinced, arguing that the cyclists themselves are not the main source of pressure on the area; rather, the support cars, possible aircraft, spectators, and the entire caravan following the race constitute the greater impact.

Environmental movement response

Ribeiro de Castro said the absence of reactions from most environmental associations, apart from Zero, prompted him to form the informal civic group. Zero had warned of the risks before the event and later applauded the ICNF restrictions, a position Ribeiro de Castro said he disagreed with. He maintained that the stage could have followed an alternative route within the national park, and that justifying the caravan's passage by arguing it removes tourist cars that would otherwise visit the area in August amounts to "justificar um erro presente com um erro passado".