- 17 February 2010 – Algarve Stadium to Albufeira, 157.5 km (97.9 mi)
The Volta kicked off with an undulating stage, including two categorized climbs between the 60 km (37 mi) and 100 km (62 mi) marks but mostly flat thereafter.[1]
Though the stage seemed set to end with a mass sprint finish, Française des Jeux' Benoît Vaugrenard put in a winning attack 700 m (2,300 ft) from the finish line, foiling the hopes of, among others, Team HTC–Columbia sprint ace André Greipel. Vaugrenard's attack came moments after Joan Horrach of Team Katusha tried a similar move, but was unable to maintain first position all the way to the line as Vaugrenard was.[2]
| Stage 1 results
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General Classification after Stage 1
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- 18 February 2010 – Sagres to Lagos, 207.5 km (128.9 mi)
The second stage was similar in profile to the first, jagged with several short climbs. Four of the hills awarded points toward the mountains classification.[3]
This stage was marked by heavy rainfall that made for tough riding for the peloton. Despite a profile that did not seem that it would break the field up so much, 78 riders finished more than ten minutes behind the stage winner, and 28 of them more than twenty minutes back. Thirteen did not finish the stage at all.
With four others, Footon–Servetto–Fuji's David Vitoria broke away 12 km (7.5 mi) into the stage. The rain and the hilly terrain took its toll on them as it did the peloton, and by 30 km (19 mi) to go only Vitoria remained out front. His advantage at that point was 3' 30", which meant there was a chance he could win the stage. In a finish reminiscent of the first stage, when Vaugrenard denied the sprinters, Vitoria stayed away into the stage's final kilometer. He was, however, caught by Greipel 200 m (660 ft) from the finish line. The German from Team HTC–Columbia took the stage win and, by virtue of the time bonuses it afforded, the overall leadership.[4]
| Stage 2 results
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General Classification after Stage 2
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- 19 February 2010 – Castro Marim to Malhão, 173.7 km (107.9 mi)
The third stage was difficult, with four categorized climbs coming in the final 40 km (25 mi), including a summit stage finish.[5]
Repeated early crashes in this stage sent Gert Steegmans, Manuel Cardoso, and Sandy Casar out of the race and to hospitals, though all escaped serious injury. The Astana team, in particular David de la Fuente, did strong pacemaking, trying to thin the field and set up their leader Alberto Contador for victory. Xacobeo–Galicia's Nelson Oliviera was the last rider brought back in from the morning escape, just as the ascent to the stage-ending Alto do Malhão began. On this climb, Contador put in the attack that separated him from the field and gave him the stage victory, with the Team RadioShack duo of Tiago Machado and Contador's former teammate Levi Leipheimer the next two behind him on the road. Contador also became the third straight stage winner to pull on the yellow jersey as race leader.[6]
| Stage 3 results
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General Classification after Stage 3
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- 20 February 2010 – Cacela to Tavira, 169 km (105 mi)
Stage 4 had a sloping profile, with a high climb coming at the 106.7 km (66.3 mi) mark. Many kilometers of descending followed to the finish line.[7]
After 20 km (12 mi) of racing, a six-man breakaway formed. Its complexion changed after the first climb of the day, when three riders were dropped and three bridged from the peloton up to the leading group. The best-placed man in the breakaway was Caisse d'Epargne's Imanol Erviti, who began the stage 5' 11" behind race leader Contador. The Astana team never let the break get more than five minutes' advantage, content to otherwise let the stage be decided among those riders. The six finished scattered as they crossed the finish line, with Team RadioShack's Sébastien Rosseler securing their first-ever victory, exactly three minutes ahead of the peloton, and Quick-Step's Iljo Keisse in sixth just ten seconds ahead of the main field. There was no significant change to the race's general classification after the stage.[8]
| Stage 4 results
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General Classification after Stage 4
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- 21 February 2010 – Laguna to Portimão, 17.2 km (10.7 mi) (individual time trial)
The race's individual time trial is straightforward, with only three curves in the road and several long straightaways, along with a negligible change in elevation.[9] One wrinkle was thrown into the race, however, two days before the time trial was run. The UCI disallowed the Specialized Shiv time trial bike. This affected both the Astana and Saxo Bank teams, who both ride Specialized bikes, but most notably race leader Contador. Specialized delivered the teams a different model of team trial bike to the teams for use in the stage.[10]
Caisse d'Epargne rider Luis León Sánchez won this time trial, with a time of 21'32". Contador, atop a Specialized Transitions bike instead of the Shiv he had expected to use, was second, 13 seconds slower than Sánchez. He still had more than enough time in hand to win the race overall. Caisse d'Epargne and Team RadioShack both showed well in the time trial, with three riders each in the top ten.[11]
| Stage 5 results
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Final General Classification
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