"Me, Juan Ayuso, Tadej Pogacar, Adam Yates, it's pretty crazy" - João Almeida excited by UAE Team Emirates' 'all-out' lineup for the Tour de France

João Almeida starts his 2024 season this Sunday in the first stage of Paris-Nice. The UAE Team Emirates rider was scheduled to take part in the Figueira Champions Classic and the Volta ao Algarve but fell ill and missed out on the Portuguese races.

In an interview given this Friday to the YouTube channel "thecyclingdane EXTRA", Almeida admitted that the preparation so far has not been ideal due to the illness before the Figueira Champions Classic and that it would have been nice to test himself in a race like the Volta ao Algarve, which is not too difficult. João Almeida also spoke about the passion of the Portuguese public, considering that they give fantastic support to the Portuguese cyclists, even if they are sometimes quite tough.

He also spoke about the 2023 Giro d'Italia, where he finished on the podium, won a stage and the youth jersey. "Last year's Giro was quite special, it was slightly different. The weather is always pretty bad, but it was awful. For the first time, I think I got really sick and had to take antibiotics like almost the entire peloton, I'd say."

Almeida adds that there wasn't much of a spectacle as the cyclists were limited in strength and that he was satisfied with the podium, although he wants to keep rising to the next level. "I don't know, but I feel I can be even stronger than I was last season. Whether that means more wins, I don't know, but I think we'll find out. Yes, the new cycling is quite hard. It's always been tough, but everyone is very strong so it's hard to make differences."

Regarding the Tour de France, Almeida said that the team wants to win and that's why they're taking such a strong line-up to the French race. Almeida admits that he is happy to "finally" be racing the Tour and that he likes the finish in Nice. "Of course we're going all out. I mean, me, Ayuso, Tadej, Adam, it's pretty crazy. We have to beat the strongest guy so far who can beat Tadej. Of course, if you look at it, it wasn't exactly evenly matched. Tadej had the fall, he broke his hand, so his preparation wasn't fantastic at all. I think that, under normal conditions, Tadej should be the strongest, but the other guys also evolve and improve."

Regarding the Olympic Games, Almeida admitted that he doesn't see the race in Paris as a goal, although it would be nice to do it. "I don't think the course is ideal for me and I also have so many races...I want to do the Tour-Vuelta and I don't think the Olympics are the best possible date for me. I can't do everything, so if I go, I'd be very happy, but I don't feel I could prepare 100%, so give the chance to another guy who might be able to do better than me."

As for the Vuelta a Espana, the 25-year-old doesn't deny that his start in Portugal is one of the reasons for taking part in the Spanish Grand Tour. "Yes, that's one of the reasons for doing it. Otherwise, I'd probably rest after the Tour and plan other races, but because it starts in Portugal and the team wants me to do it too. It's really special to have a Grand Tour starting in your country, so it's quite unique. I think I'll take the risk. Even if it's not the best preparation, it's going to be a nice race"

Regarding the length of the season, Almeida stressed the importance of the calendar and expressed his desire to do different races to those he has done in recent years. At the moment, he has the Tour of Catalonia, the Amstel Gold Race, Fléche-Wallone, Liége-Bastogne-Liége, the Tour of Switzerland and the two Grand Tours in the summer.