"I can't brake or use my bike properly" - Yellow jersey Pogacar may lose right-hand man João Almeida before Tour de France mountains

UAE Team Emirates - XRG has Tadej Pogacar in the lead of the Tour de France and with a hefty advantage over Jonas Vingegaard, but not everything is going the team's way. João Almeida, as a result of a crash on stage 7, has dropped out of GC contention - but above all, the Portuguese may not be able to arrive to the mountains depending on how his health situation evolves.

A high-speed fall including the Portuguese rider has proven to be the most consequential crash of the Tour thus far. Almeida suffered multiple abrasions throughout his body but has also suffered a fractured rib. It does not prevent him from racing, but in which condition he can race is a very big question. "It's broken, but considering how the fall went it could have been a lot worse," he told Eurosport before the start of today's stage.

"Of course I have abrasions, but as I say, the way everything went, it could have been a lot worse. We're here at the start, let's see how we get through the day Try to recover as much as I can. My left hand is not good, my finger hurts, I can't brake or use my bike properly. But we'll see, it should go well, you never know".

The Portuguese has in the Tour the biggest goal of his season and the team's biggest goal, and withdrawing would prove to be a very big hit for the Emirati team, specially as Team Visma | Lease a Bike continue to be aggressive on the daily. Two expected calm and pan-flat days over the weekend provide the opportunity for some recovery for the Portuguese climber, but it has also been made clear that if he cannot safely continue the Tour, he will not.

"Health always comes first. The team has told me to do what I think is best for me and that's what I'm going to do of course," he assures, confirming that he continues in the race by his own desire. "Being here for the sake of being here not helping my teammates doesn't make sense, so we'll see how it goes. I'll try to get through the day".