João Almeida likely out of the 2026 Giro d'Italia - UAE leader struggling with lingering illness

Portuguese rider João Almeida will not start the upcoming Giro d’Italia after a deterioration in his condition, according to Portuguese daily Diário de Notícias. This will impact the race exponentially if confirmed, as he was set out to be Jonas Vingegaard's main rival.

According to the report, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider has been struggling since the start of the season after a viral syndrome affected his system. Instead of clearing, the issue has led to complications that will require further medical tests to assess his status more precisely.

The withdrawal is a significant setback, especially given his recent trajectory. Last year, Almeida delivered a strong Vuelta a España, finishing second behind only Jonas Vingegaard. The two also battled at the Volta ao Algarve and Paris-Nice, leading to a season-long battle.

This season, he was expected to be the Dane’s main rival at the Italian race, as well as the Vuelta a España. It is a heavy blow for the Emirati squad, which loses its leading card for the first Grand Tour of the year. The team’s planning had also left out Isaac del Toro, who last season came close to victory by also finishing second, which further heightens the impact of this absence.

The priority now is recovery. Both the rider and his camp are focused on overcoming these health issues with an eye on future goals, especially the Tour de France, which becomes the major target if his progress is positive. It is expected the announcement will come soon, however his replacement is not clear, and might not be an overall classification contender.

João Almeida’s absence leaves Jonas Vingegaard with a very open road at the next Giro d’Italia, where the field of overall contenders falls short of what a Grand Tour usually demands.

Giulio Pellizzari of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe might present himself as the Visma rider's main rival throughout the three weeks after finishing second at Tirreno-Adriatico and winning the recent Tour of the Alps.

The likes of Thymen Arensman, Michael Storer and Egan Bernal had been building their form in the Italian Alps where they were amongst Pellizzari's biggest contenders this past week.

Furthermore Richard Carapaz, last year's runner-up, is also expected to contest for the overall classification.. UAE may back up Adam Yates who won the recent edition of O Gran Camiño and has credentials to fight for the podium in a race won by his twin brother last year.