"Enjoy this one, then get ready for the Tour de France" - João Almeida takes 3rd successive GC win of 2025 at the Tour de Suisse
CyclingSunday, 22 June 2025 at 17:32
João Almeida is having a hell of a season in 2025, with an incredible comeback win at the Tour de Suisse marking a third successive GC win for the Portuguese star this campaign. As such, Almeida now heads to the Tour de France - where he will support Tadej Pogacar - full of confidence.
After a disaster of a stage 1, Almeida found himself more than three minutes down in the GC, with Maillot Jaune hopes looking a long way away. Steadily and impressively gaining time back over the days after though, Almeida culminated an impressive comeback with a dominant performance in the final stage time trial on Sunday to seal the overall victory ahead of Kevin Vauquelin.
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"I did a really good climb, I was feeling really good," reflected a delighted Almeida in his post-stage interview after his time trial finished, with the win still not having fully sunk in. "For moments, I thought my power meter was not calibrated because it was showing higher numbers. So yeah, I'm super happy, actually."
"It was a big plan since the first day when I lost three minutes. But the team did amazing, we did a perfect job, we fought for the win. We never gave up, we always believed — and in the end, we did it," he continues. "Today, I think I started a bit too fast, to be honest. I overpaced a little bit in the beginning. In the end, I really didn’t have more gas to push the last kilometre. But I guess it was enough — it wasn’t necessary. So yeah, I'm just super happy."
And as mentioned, now attention turns towards the Tour de France. "It’s like a lesson. You should never give up. Sometimes things go wrong, sometimes nothing is perfect — you just need to keep trying. And yeah, we kept trying and we did it," concludes the UAE Team Emirates - XRG star. "Plenty of time to enjoy this one. And then I’m ready for the Tour de France to support — and hopefully, we can get more wins there."
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- These police and organizers are out there every day for hours, trying to make an inherently dangerous activity safe for the riders and reasonably pleasant and well-organized for millions of spectators who get to watch for free. I am amazed that they react so quickly to a potentially life-threatening situation, and get it just about perfect. Chapeau.
Barney23-07-2025 - My opinion is that tomorrow if the hardest day of this entire Tour. Tadej should play it smart, use his team and just follow Jonas up the last mountain if the tactics allow for this. If Tadej must lose time I hope it's not more than 1m30s.awp23-07-2025
- Maybe if you would be interested in informing yourself on subjects you post about, you could save yourself a lot of questions, and having to read replies ;-) It is not the UCI that banned him but the court of arbitration of sport who have a whole range of penalties to inflict on perpetrators, including hefty financial fines. All the UCI will do if needed, is 1, ask for him to be arrested for trespassing and/or 2, refer him to the tribunal for judgement. Why single out Virenque, he’s probably dealing with similar people every 2nd day? And who knows why, maybe he’s getting some insider info on the next doper to be made public?Mistermaumau23-07-2025
- Velo has a much more accurate account of this interview.Hill3323-07-2025
- I wonder if they will adjust the number of points on summit finishes? Yes, green jersey has traditionally gone to sprinters but isn’t it for the most consistent riders? Erik zabel won many green jerseys even tho he wasn’t the fastest sprinter?Crashjames23-07-2025
- Maybe it was about riders under contract at UAE? Unclear I have to sayMistermaumau23-07-2025
- And what’s that word for someone who tells others they can’t do what he does, or say things the way he does?Mistermaumau23-07-2025
- Erm? What’s that word for when someone tells others to shut up because they don’t like or don’t want to accept or think about what they’re saying?Mistermaumau23-07-2025
- Oh dear, he uses THIS situation to tell OTHERS they should keep quiet? He’d have been wise to practice what he preaches when TRYING to find a way round the question. His answer only confirms he is either one of naïve about the whole thing, or knowingly paid to distort reality, if it’s the first you really ought to know not to open your mouth on the subject at all, just plead ignorance, if the second, I suggest you work on more credible answers, there are professionals to guide you there. That answer was about as relevant as the luxury hotel tourist who comes back saying he didn’t notice anything at the airport or resort, very representative of a country’s reality. PS Russia is investing a lot in sports too, not long ago Sir Coe was even complimenting Putin. Anyone who didn’t understand how sportswashing works now has a better idea, pay nicer guys to tell you there’s nothing there to look at. And THAT Maria, is the reason I don’t congratulate your hero (and a lot of other individuals) more than I do, he’s using his voice for the wrong people and values, the way things are (or are changing) nowadays, everyone is going to have to pick which side they’re on andsorry, if you’re on the eff anyone outside my circle as long as we’re making good, you get zero support from me, in fact less, some form of boycotting or resistance will be exercised.Mistermaumau23-07-2025
- Like their stranglehold when Paret-Peintre won the stage and Visma isolated Tadej?Hill3323-07-2025