João Almeida clear on main 2023 goal: "I want to focus on the Giro again"

João Almeida has proven to be a rider who is very well suited to the Giro d'Italia, and in 2023 that will certainly be his main goal of the season again. The Portuguese has suffered from bad luck this year, but is expected to be UAE Team Emirates' leader at the Corsa Rosa.

In an interview with The National, Almeida talked about what his main goal for the 2023 season will be: "I want to focus on the Giro again. We had a pretty good year but I was expecting a little more in the Giro, but unfortunately I had Covid, but the team doesn’t depend on me alone. Overall I learned a lot and had some good results.”

Almeida made his Grand Tour debut at the 2020 Giro where he led the race throughout almost two weeks and finished in fourth position, proving his potential as a Grand Tour rider. The following year he rode to a sixth position with the Quick-Step team, and following his move to UAE he's had less support but kept the lead into the 2022 race.

There, a consistent set of results has him in the fight for the podium and the pink jersey. However, a positive Covid-19 test ahead of the 18th stage took him out of the race. He bounced back later in the year to finish the Vuelta a Espana in fifth position.

Despite the presence of Tadej Pogacar in the team, Almeida is expected to keep his leading position within the team then for the coming year, whilst the Slovenian is set to target the Tour de France, and Juan Ayuso will have another tilt at the Vuelta a Espana.

“I like to be in the program and be part of the UAE Team Emirates family," Almeida added, currently in a team camp in the UAE. "It’s important to find new talents in the UAE as the future depends on the young athletes.”