"I'm ready to show who is João Almeida" - UAE climber brings back and beats Vingegaard at Paris-Nice summit finish

João Almeida and UAE Team Emirates - XRG did not have the best of team time-trials and lost significant time to the Visma group. However today João Almeida proved that the team is ready to fight for the victory at Paris-Nice, after he directly beat Jonas Vingegaard in the race's first summit finish.

"I'm super happy it was kind of a hard day, a lot happening on the stage of course. We had some snowing, but I never gave up. I think we deserved it and I'm very happy with it," the Portugues rider said in the flash interview. It was a brutal day for the riders who had a neutralized section to the day, stopping twice, after the peloton was being hit by a full-fledged hailstorm.

Historically speaking Almeida usually struggled with the bad weather, but today we saw the opposite. "I was feeling quite good, I'm not the best guy with the cold temperatures, I was suffering a bit with that but I never gave up". Jonas Vingegaard launched an attack with just over 2 kilometers to go and it looked obvious that Almeida had the best legs behind, as he paced the group in his traditional style. 

Read also

João Almeida beats Jonas Vingegaard to win hailstorm-hit day at Paris-Nice

"The climb just wasn't steep enough so it was hard to put the group smaller even. Jonas attacked, it was a good moment, I was not in the best position". But in the final kilometer the difference of pace was big, and Almeida forced the pace to such a level that no-one could follow his wheel, and he would then catch up with Vingegaard in the final meters of the stage and take the win.

"Yesterday was not our day, we had some setbacks. But yeah yesterday was yesterday, today was another opportunity," he continued. "We need to take the positives from yesterday I was feeling really good and I did a good effort. We lose as a team and we win as a team and I think we deserved it today".

This performance puts him up to 5th position, 37 seconds away from Jonas Vingegaard, now as a prime candidate for the podium but perhaps even the victory. "I think we can, but it's not just up to me you know. I think my shape is good, I feel good, and I'm ready to show who is João Almeida but yeah, not everything goes as planned. I'll give my best," he concluded.

Read also

Medical Report and withdrawals Paris - Nice 2025 | Update stage 3 - Florian Senechal sent to hospital with suspected fractured clavicle

Jury & Fines Paris-Nice 2025 | Update stage 3

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Unlock your ultimate cycling experience—subscribe today for access to the latest cycling news

Subscribe