"I am a much more experienced João Almeida" - Portuguese on how he can make the difference at Giro d'Italia and contest with Roglic and Evenepoel
Cycling
João Almeida is one of the cards that UAE Team Emirates will take towards the Giro d'Italia. The Portuguese climber is taking on his fourth consecutive Giro and after several attempts with similar outcomes, he's ready to take the next step.
"Even though I'm only 24, I'm no veteran, but I have plenty of experience and I've done four Grand Tours. They all went well except for Covid," Almeida shared with TopCycling.pt. "I am a much more experienced João Almeida, with things much more planned, who knows what he wants, who communicates what he wants, what needs to be done. I learned from past mistakes and situations. I'm also stronger."
In his debut in 2020 he led the race for 15 days, eventually losing the lead in the final week but staying consistent until the very last day. In 2021 he lost significant time in the opening time but surged into sixth over the final week after Remco Evenepoel abandoned, and last year he was fourth and contesting for the podium when he abandoned with a Covid-19 positive before the start of stage 18. He since went on to finish fifth at the Vuelta a Espana too, continuing a great run of consistency.
"...We have the example of the first Tour de France won by Tadej Pogacar... nobody would have thought he would win, and what is certain is that that time trial put Roglic behind and this Giro will be similar," Almeida continues, pointing out that the race can be decided in the final time-trial that goes up to Monte Lussari, a brutal ascent which averages 15% for several kilometers. "In that time trial anything can happen. In a Giro of I don't know how many thousand kilometers, those 25 kilometers are going to make a huge difference."
The route however suits the 24-year old very well, featuring around 70 kilometers of racing against the clock over three different days, and a brutal final week packed with high-mountain stages. Alongside Jay Vine and Brandon McNulty the team can do serious damage in the mountains, and enter the race in the same position as INEOS Grenadiers who bring in several cards to play in pursuit of the pink jersey.
However despite his strong time-trialing, he will need to bring his best level to contest with Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic, who are expected to be the strongest time-trialists in the race. "They have the time trial advantage. Other than in Tirreno[-Adriatico] - Roglic wasn't in the best form that day - I've never been ahead of any of them. Clearly they're going to be ahead of me in the time trial. I have a good consistency, that's my strong point, and that can make the difference," he concluded.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
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