"It would have been a less stressful last week" - Tadej Pogacar on João Almeida's Tour de France absence

On the eve of his fourth Tour de France victory, Tadej Pogacar once again mentioned João Almeida's name, lamenting the Portuguese rider's absence in what was the decisive final week of the race. The Slovenian didn't hide his frustration at the loss of his most important mountain domestique, who could've made the final week of the Tour much less exhausting.

"I'm really sad that we've lost João, because his presence would have made the last week a little less stressful for us," said Pogacar, the day before his consecration in Paris. "We could have aimed for another good overall finish and another victory in the Alps, but we'll never know."

Since João Almeida's withdrawal the ninth stage, two days after fracturing a rib in a crash in the final kilometers of the seventh stage, the UAE leader has made a point of repeatedly praising the role of his teammate. This Saturday was no exception, with Pogacar recalling what was destined to be his main support in the Alpine stages, in a Tour where the Slovenian has consolidated his dominance in the Pyrenees.

Despite the significant loss, Pogacar was full of praise for the rest of UAE Team Emirates - XRG: "The rest of the team was incredible from the first day to the last kilometer. Without them, this Tour would be miserable. I'm so happy to be part of this group."

With the title virtually assured, the overall leader nevertheless kept his feet firmly on the ground. "It's more or less done, but until I cross the finish line in Paris... I have to stay focused," he said, revealing his uncertainty about the approach to the final stage. "I hope tomorrow (today, ed.) is a quiet day. We're all tired. We'll see after the first climb how we feel and whether we try to win or just enjoy the day."