"I wasn't even that strong" - João Almeida surprised to take massive Itzulia Basque Country victory
Cycling
João Almeida was the strongest climber on the 4th stage of the Itzulia Basque Country in dominant fashion with an attack on the Izua climb, which peaked around 11 kilometers from the finish line. From then on the Portuguese rider rode in isolation to win the stage 28 seconds ahead of his UAE Team Emirates - XRG teammate Isaac del Toro and Max Schachmann, who lost the Yellow Jersey to the Portuguese rider.
"I was very happy. The truth is that I wasn't feeling very well today. I didn't have the best legs. I gave everything I had and in the end I came first and I'm very happy. I have to thank the team, they've been perfect," he said in a post-race interview.
João Almeida confesses that he didn't really feel at his best today, and didn't hold back a laugh when asked if this was due to yesterday, which also saw the Portuguese on the attack but whose efforts were ultimately in vain when he made a mistake at the entrance to a traffic circle in the final kilometers.
As for today, the 26-year-old Portuguese told us how he planned things: "I imagined that there was going to be a very big fight for the breakaway. At the end, to get onto the last climb, I knew the fight was going to be crazy. I decided to start a little further back and climb at my own pace, and off I went."
In reality, João has more of a reputation for being a climber more suited to the long ascents we're used to seeing in the Grand Tours, so for some it may have been a little strange to see the Portuguese rider at this level on such a steep and explosive climb: "At the end I was fine, but I wasn't even super," he said. "I think everyone was a bit tired from yesterday and it seems to have been enough." Dropping main rival Florian Lipowitz, he went on to take a solo win that also puts him in the race lead.
As for what's left between now and the finish, the new race leader is trying to take some of the pressure off: "Tomorrow and the day after will be very, very tough! But today I'm going to enjoy this victory and then focus on the last few days"
Today João Almeida outclassed all the competition and now leads the Basque Race by 30 seconds over former leader Max Schachmann of Soudal - Quickstep and 38 seconds over Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull - BORA - Hansgrohe.
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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