Ivo Oliveira on cloud nine at the Giro d'Abruzzo: “For six or seven years, I’d tell myself, ‘God, I just want to win a race one day’... now, in just four days, I’ve won twice"

Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) once again left his mark on the international peloton this Friday, claiming a dominant victory in the fourth and final stage of the Giro d’Abruzzo. It was the Portuguese rider’s second win in just four days - a remarkable achievement that left him both speechless and visibly emotional.

“I’m at a loss for words,” he said, still catching his breath after crossing the finish line. “Two days ago I was over the moon with my first win. Now... I don’t even know what to say.”

Interestingly, Oliveira's victory wasn’t part of the team’s original plan for the day. UAE Team Emirates aimed to get a rider into the breakaway - be it the Portuguese, Rune Herregodts, or Julius Johansen - and try to win from that group, or position themselves to support their best-placed overall rider, Pablo Torres. But the race played out in a way that put Oliveira in a strong and well-balanced breakaway, alongside several notable names.

“We wanted to be in a break with potential,” he explained. “I managed to make it, and we were well represented. I have to credit the other guys in the group—they worked together almost until the very end. Without that collaboration, we never would’ve stayed ahead.”

Among his breakaway companions were three familiar faces: former teammates Joel Suter, George Bennett, and Sjoerd Bax - affectionately known in the peloton as “Bucks.”

“They were my teammates in the past, so I know them well and I know how they race. When Bucks attacked on the descent, I knew I had to react straight away. Give him a few meters, and he’s gone - you’ll never catch him.”

That quick tactical instinct proved crucial. Oliveira closed the gap to Bax, and from there, the two worked in tandem right up to the final meters.

“We made a deal and rode together to the line. I knew if it came down to a sprint, I had a good shot. I’ve got a strong finishing kick, and I was able to make it count.”

Beyond the stage win, the team also had its eye on the overall standings, with Pablo Torres sitting in third. There was cautious optimism about a potential podium shake-up.

“We knew it would be hard to gain time on the leaders—everyone was watching Pablo. But if the situation shifted and I had the chance to help him, I would’ve stopped and done my job, no question.”

In the end, the general classification battle remained stable, and the team gave Oliveira the green light to go all-in for the stage.

“They told me on the radio that no one was making any moves behind. My director said, ‘Go for the win—you’ve got the legs.’ So I did.”

The emotion on the Portuguese's face told the rest of the story. After years of riding in support roles and dreaming of moments like this, he is finally enjoying the most successful stretch of his professional career.

“Winning is so hard these days,” he said. “For six or seven years, I’d tell myself, ‘God, I just want to win a race one day.’ I’d see other riders celebrating and wonder, ‘When will it be my turn?’ And now, in just four days, I’ve won twice. It’s unbelievable.”

With two stage wins in the Giro d’Abruzzo, Ivo Oliveira has cemented his place among Portugal’s most talented cyclists. When given the freedom to race, he’s proving he can be a decisive force. His confidence is building, the results are following—and the international peloton is once again taking notice of the rider from Vila Nova de Gaia.