Environmental opposition to Volta a Portugal route

Environmental organizations in Portugal have voiced opposition to the Volta a Portugal cycling race route through the Peneda-Gerês National Park. The Liga para a Proteção da Natureza (LPN) initially labeled the planned seventh stage as “inaceitável” (unacceptable), warning that passing through the Mata da Albergaria could cause significant degradation to protected habitats. LPN requested that organizers modify the course to comply with park regulations regarding sporting activities in sensitive zones.

Following these concerns, the environmental association Quercus also contested the authorization for the race to enter the Mata de Albergaria. Quercus argued that the event sets a “grave precedente” (serious precedent) for the protection of ecologically sensitive areas. Although the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) implemented several biodiversity protection measures—such as banning aerial vehicles, limiting support vehicles, and restricting public access to certain sectors—Quercus maintained that the scale of the competition remains incompatible with the park’s management plan and the conservation of its original woodland.