"I didn’t have the best sensations" - João Almeida falls short in bid to unseat Jonas Vingegaard on stage 20 of La Vuelta 2025

João Almeida’s bold bid to unseat Jonas Vingegaard at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana came up just short on the punishing slopes of the Bola del Mundo, as the Dane stamped his authority on the race with a searing final climb to all but seal overall victory.

UAE Team Emirates - XRG rode in full support of Almeida throughout the stage, controlling the race until the final 3 kilometres — the same approach the Portuguese rider had used to devastating effect on the Angliru. Once again, Almeida tried to dictate the pace, hoping to crack his rival on sheer consistency and endurance. But this time, Vingegaard had the upper hand.

With just over a kilometre to go, the Visma leader attacked decisively, distancing Almeida and soloing to the stage win. In doing so, he secured both the day’s honours and the red jersey, barring incident in Madrid.

Despite missing out on the overall win, Almeida’s performance throughout the race — and particularly in the high mountains — marks another leap forward in his Grand Tour pedigree. His queen stage victory and second-place finish overall are a testament to a rider on the cusp of joining the sport’s most elite climbers and GC contenders. “It was incredibly tough,” Almeida said after the stage. “I was on the limit the whole day, but we had to try — there was nothing to lose. I didn’t have the best sensations, but it had to be done.”

That mentality has defined his race. Aggressive, composed, and tactically mature, Almeida leaves the Vuelta with no regrets: “I don’t regret anything — we gave it everything.”

To lose a three-week Grand Tour by just a minute to a two-time Tour de France winner is no disgrace. If anything, it cements Almeida’s position as one of the best stage racers in the world today. “So close,” he said. “We tried to win, and that’s how it is.”

This Vuelta has reaffirmed what many have been touting for a while: that Almeida is not just a consistent top-ten presence, but a genuine contender for overall victory. With Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard still looming large at UAE and Visma respectively, the question now is whether the Portuguese rider will be given leadership in a Grand Tour without the shadow of either to contend with.