"I'm going to work for Pogacar" - João Almeida would be happy with Tour de France podium but domestique role is priority

João Almeida is enjoying the best season of his career. In just 39 days of competition, the Portuguese rider from UAE Team Emirates- XRG has already achieved nine victories, far surpassing his previous best record of six wins in 2021. This sees him go into the Tour de France in an extraordinary and quite unique position.

He won three World Tour stage races in a row - the Tour of the Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie and the Tour de Suisse - a rare feat that puts him alongside historic names like Sean Kelly and Bradley Wiggins. Along the way, he also won six stages between Paris-Nice, the Basque Country and Switzerland.

Despite his individual brilliance, João remains focused on the team. The Tour de France is approaching and his goal is clear: to be Tadej Pogacar's man of confidence in the high mountains. "For now, in the Tour my goal will be to help Tadej win. So I don't have any result goals in mind or it will always be secondary. So I'd say... a podium would be a great result. In a season with already many days of competition and with two Grand Tours coming up, I think a podium would be a great result," he says.

Asked about the possibility of improving on his 4th place in 2024, he's pragmatic: "I'll be more at his (Pogacar's, ed.) service in the mountains, where he'll need me, where I can be more useful to him, and of course, it depends on the race situations where I'll have to protect him and work for him. That's why I don't think it makes sense to have any result in mind. His goal is to help him win the Tour again. But with that I can even project myself to win a stage, I might even get a result, but obviously it's very relative."

Without the pressure to have a result however, the Portuguese could be in a strong position away from the spotlight.

He shares his thoughts on a tricky start to the race: "The first week is a lot flatter than usual. But, honestly, it's one of the worst parts of the Tour, because there's a lot of freshness and a lot of activity in the peloton, a lot of nervousness which increases the risks. Overall, I'd say that the first time trial is going to be important, it will certainly make good differences, but there are a lot of mountains, a lot of hard stages. I'd say that there won't be anything that the mountains won't decide more. For the rest, as always in every Tour".

For Almeida, competing without pressure makes the mission clearer. "Last year I went with this objective, to help Tadej. I was super relaxed. Obviously, it's essential to present myself in my best shape and then, in competition, to give everything for Tadej on the high mountain as one of the last men in his support. But I'm not going with any pressure to get any results. I'm going relatively relaxed and without pressure. I feel normal. I've got good legs, but I'm not at an unbeatable peak of form. I hope I still have room for improvement."

He doesn't make a big deal out of what can be done throughout the three weeks o the race. "We all have bad days, but I feel pretty good. But it all starts with physical ability, and when you have good legs it's always easier... Above all, it's a question of physical ability at the end of races. Today's races are very fast, very hard, and you're not just well-positioned by chance..."

João Almeida also addresses the criticism that sometimes comes from fans, who see him reacting too late in certain situations. "It depends a bit on the race situation. There are races where the pace is clearly so high that it's difficult to get ahead and respond immediately. So I analyze the situation, I put in the pace I think I can catch them with. And usually what happens is that the opponents always end up blowing up and running out of legs before the finish line. I catch up and try to overtake them. But it depends a bit on the race situation, the climb, the moment of the stage. But we always try to do things in the most efficient and best way. Of course, it also depends on our legs, doesn't it?"

At the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana he lost the overall classification on a punchy hilltop finish to Santiago Buitrago, after having defeated him in the mountains. "Some races are more tactical than others, and sometimes fitness isn't everything. Sometimes there are race situations that are also difficult tactically. And sometimes you're on the other side of the coin, it doesn't always go your way..."

Regarding his interaction with Pogacar, João describes him as "normal" and always ready to help the younger riders with advice: "Yes, it's quite frequent. We talk to our teammates, that's normal. Personally, I always try to help the younger riders, and so does he. But in general, there's nothing special. He's quite a normal person, very friendly and available."

Asked about possible joint participation in the Vuelta a España, the Portuguese rider clarifies that nothing has been confirmed: "I can't confirm it. His competition plan for the rest of the season is yet to be confirmed. I'm not sure either... It depends on how he feels after the Tour de France... But regardless of whether he takes part in the Vuelta or not, I think we're in a good position to do well... That's the only thing that's certain for now. So both options are good"

Even so, he sees the Vuelta as a different scenario to the Tour, as the race is always more open: "I suppose so, but we're still a long way from the Vuelta and I haven't thought about it yet, there's a Tour to do first. But the Vuelta is obviously a slightly more open race. But what matters is that a rider from our team wins. So if it's him, that's fine. We always give priority to whoever is strongest, and he is the strongest."

Almeida has a contract until the end of 2026 and ends his interview with A Bola showing that he wants to continue. "Yes, there are always talks that take place, but I have a contract that will last for this year and next, another year and a half, so everything is still a possibility. My focus now is on the Tour de France, so it's not really a time to ponder these matters, but to be 100% focused on the Tour... However, yes, I can say that I'm happy in the team and that I like it here," he says, placing stability as another fundamental piece in his sustained evolution.

"Yeah, I don't know... Good question. For now, in the Tour I'll be aiming to help Tadej win. So, I don't have any results in mind or it will always be secondary. Then, in the Vuelta, in principle I'll also be doing it with Tadej, but it will be a race, perhaps, a little more open. So, I'd say... a podium would be a great result. In a season with already many days of competition and with two Grand Tours coming up, I think a podium would be a great result.