“I guess he just doesn’t like to pull” — João Almeida indirectly calls out Jonas Vingegaard after GC cease fire on stage 7 summit finish

João Almeida left Stage 7 of the Vuelta a Espana with confidence intact and a sense of unfinished business. The UAE Team Emirates – XRG rider tried to shake up the GC group on the final climb to Cerler but received little help from his rivals — and he wasn’t shy about pointing it out afterwards.

“I asked Marc Soler to pull a bit and try something, but honestly I thought the climb would be harder,” Almeida said in his post-stage interview afterwards. “I tried. Maybe it was a gift for someone, but in the end no one else really wanted to collaborate.”

That “someone” might have been Jonas Vingegaard, who marked Almeida’s move but didn’t contribute to any shared pace-setting — a dynamic the Portuguese rider noted with a hint of irony. “I mean, I understand. But it is what it is. I guess he just doesn’t like to pull, right?” Almeida said, cracking a smile.

While his own attempt to pressure the GC favourites may not have changed the standings, Almeida was full of praise for teammate Juan Ayuso, who took a hard-fought solo victory from the breakaway.

“It’s a win for the team. Congratulations to him,” Almeida said. “He’s a great rider and very strong. It’s been a difficult road with ups and downs, so I think he really deserves this. I’m happy for him and for the whole team — they were incredible today.”

With UAE Team Emirates taking their third stage win in just seven days, Almeida continues to look more comfortable in the high mountains. He remains level on time with Jonas Vingegaard in the GC, just behind current race leader Torstein Traeen.

“I’ve felt good every day so far — I think that’s a good sign,” Almeida said. “But I’m really focused on what’s still to come.”