João Almeida supports UAE and Pogacar's tactics: "He is taking time on almost everyone, that is the most important thing"
Cycling
UAE Team Emirates had a clear plan today: Control the breakaway, win the stage and have Tadej Pogacar take time on Jonas Vingegaard. Safe to say it essentially exploded in their face. João Almeida talks about a well executed plan and the confirmation of a strong Jonas Vingegaard.
“It could have been better, but it was a good day." Almeida in reality wasn't really part of the team's plan. He and Juan Ayuso managed to just sit in the wheels of the GC group whilst Pavel Sivakov and Adam Yates paced up Puy de Mary before Pogacar attacked. Almeida sat in the chasing group where Carlos Rodríguez did most of the work, coming through the finish line in sixth place, 1:49 minutes down on the stage winner. Almeida had a lot to say about the Dane that beat his teammate.
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"I think they came here as underdogs, but we knew he was very good. I can’t say more, because you can see that Jonas is flying," Almeida said in words to Wielerflits. "I think his descents are quite good. Maybe he is not the best descender, but he is doing quite well. That shows that he has recovered from the fall.” In the end Vingegaard was able to put a stop to UAE's masterplan, and although he only won one second on the day, having beaten Pogacar in his terrain could've been a difficult blow for the team.
But Almeida assures that the team is neither tired of racing aggressively or that Pogacar was downbeat after a day without a major win. “We wanted to attack and make a difference, the team did a great job so we will definitely try again. He is taking time on almost everyone, that is the most important thing," the Portuguese concluded. With Juan Ayuso falling down the overall standings, Almeida climbed to fifth and sits 4:20 minutes down on Pogacar into stage 12.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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🔥 HERE THEY GO! @TamauPogi and Jonas Vingegaard jumps in his wheel! 🔥 C'EST PARTI ! @TamauPogi attaque et Jonas Vingegaard saute dans sa roue ! #TDF2024
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