OPINION: Joao Almeida must find how to shine alongside Tadej Pogacar at UAE Team Emirates – XRG or consider moving elsewhere

Joao Almeida has built a reputation as one of the most consistent and reliable stage racers in professional cycling right now. The 26-year-old Portuguese rider has never finished outside the top ten in a Grand Tour, a remarkable stat that reflects his endurance, climbing ability, and clear natural talent. No, Almeida will not be happy to have missed out on the GC at the recent Volta a Comunitat Valenciana, but I will not let his defeat to Santiago Buitrago define what I believe is a very important year for him.

Despite proving himself repeatedly, Almeida remains trapped in a secondary role at UAE Team Emirates - XRG, overshadowed by Tadej Pogacar’s relentless pursuit of greatness. We’ve heard no murmurs of discontent from Almeida for this role so far, but is he not a rider destined for more?

Last season, Almeida’s talents were on full display when he rode in support of Pogacar at the Tour de France. Even though he entered the race as a domestique, he still managed to finish fourth overall, an incredible achievement given the physical demands of working for a team leader. In almost any other squad, such a result would have been enough to earn leadership status the following season. But at UAE Team Emirates - XRG, no rider will ever be a bigger priority than Pogacar, and rightfully so given the Slovenian is quite possibly the most talented rider we have ever seen.

As the 2025 season unfolds, Almeida must navigate yet another year where he will be expected to ride in support of his team leader while searching for opportunities to make his own mark. The question is whether he can find space to shine within the structure of UAE Team Emirates, or whether he is being forced into a role that permanently limits his ambitions. At 26, he is approaching his prime years as a stage racer. If UAE Team Emirates will not let him fight for Grand Tour victories, then it may be time for him to seek leadership elsewhere.

Since joining UAE Team Emirates in 2022, Almeida has been a pillar of consistency. His ability to ride strong throughout a Grand Tour has never been in doubt, as demonstrated by his results over his career to date. He finished fourth in the Giro d’Italia on debut in 2020, sixth the following year, and third in 2023, proving his podium potential on the biggest stages. His time at the Vuelta a Espana has been pretty impressive too, securing fifth place in 2022 and ninth in 2023, before illness cruelly ended his 2024 campaign when he had been considered one of the pre-race favourites.

His Tour de France debut in 2024 was arguably the most impressive three weeks of his career so far, when considering all factors. While Pogacar dominated the race, Almeida quietly worked behind the scenes, ensuring his leader had everything he needed to succeed. Despite the physical toll of riding as a domestique, Almeida still finished fourth overall, proving that he belongs among the very best. Yet his performance was largely overshadowed by the three-man battle between Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Evenepoel, as Almeida finished 10 minutes back from Evenepoel in third.

If Almeida had been riding for a different team, one where he was the clear leader, he might have been allowed to challenge for the podium himself. Do I think Almeida’s GC position would have been any different at the Tour had he been on a different team? No, I do not think he has the ability to challenge the top 3. But at UAE, he may never even get the opportunity to find out for himself if he can race those top guys, and he is a rider who I would love to see fully unleashed.

UAE Team Emirates had a historic 2024 season, headlined by Pogacar’s triple crown victory, winning the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and the World Championships in the same year. It was a season that will likely never be repeated, and one that cemented Pogacar’s status as the best rider of his generation.

Unsurprisingly, UAE Team Emirates has built its entire 2025 strategy around supporting Pogacar in his attempt to retain the Tour de France title and win his fourth yellow jersey. Almeida will once again return to his domestique role, working alongside Adam Yates to give the Slovenian as much firepower as possible in the mountains. The team believes that sacrificing individual ambitions is the price of being part of a project that is rewriting cycling history.

This is where Almeida faces his greatest challenge. He is clearly an integral part of Pogacar’s success, but he is also a rider who could be winning major races himself. At 26, he has spent years playing the support role, but at what point does he stop being a future Grand Tour winner and start being seen as just a career domestique?

If Almeida is to win his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a Espana appears to be his best opportunity. In 2024, he was considered one of the main contenders before he was unfortunately forced to abandon due to illness. His early performances in the race suggested he could have challenged eventual winner Primoz Roglic, and had he remained healthy, it is entirely possible that he could have claimed victory or at least stood on the podium.

This year, the Vuelta could be his moment of redemption, but only if UAE Team Emirates gives him the chance to lead.

That, however, is far from guaranteed, once again thanks to a certain Slovenian. If Pogacar decides to ride the Tour-Vuelta double, then Almeida may once again find himself in a support role, sacrificing his personal ambitions to help the Slovenian chase another piece of history as he looks to complete his set of grand tours.

At some point, Almeida will have to ask himself how many more Grand Tours he is willing to sacrifice for the team, especially considering a certain Juan Ayuso will be given the freedom to go for victory at the Giro.

One of Almeida’s defining traits is his loyalty. Despite speculation of internal conflicts with Juan Ayuso in the past (namely going up the Galibier at last year’s Tour) he has always remained professional, publicly dismissing any tension and focusing on the collective success of the squad. He has never complained about his role, nor has he shown any signs of pushing for leadership at the expense of the team’s objectives.

However, even the most loyal domestiques eventually reach a point where they want more. Almeida has already proven that he can compete with the best, what he has not yet been given is the opportunity to lead without limitations.

Perhaps I’m overlooking just how happy Almeida is at UAE. After all, look at Visma, where Sepp Kuss has openly stated he much prefers the role of being a domestique and prefers life out of the limelight. But Kuss has one thing Almeida doesn’t: a grand tour win.

If 2025 follows the same pattern as previous years, supporting Pogacar at the Tour and potentially missing out on leadership at the Vuelta, Almeida must seriously consider whether UAE Team Emirates – XRG is the best place for him.

There are several teams where he could immediately become the number one rider. A move to INEOS Grenadiers could allow him to lead at the Giro or the Vuelta without question. Bahrain Victorious and Movistar have built teams around single GC leaders before and could provide a more tailored environment for Almeida to thrive. Even a move to a rising force like Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, where leadership structures are still evolving, could present an attractive opportunity.

If Almeida stays at UAE, he must be sure that he will eventually get his own chance. If not, he risks becoming a rider who was always good enough to win a Grand Tour but never given the chance to do so.

I believe that Almeida stands at a crossroads in his career. He is one of the most consistent Grand Tour riders in the world, but he is still waiting for his breakthrough.

At UAE Team Emirates, he is a trusted lieutenant, a key part of the team’s tactical plans, and a rider whose contributions have helped Pogacar make history. But as each season passes, how much longer can he wait for his chance to lead?

In 2025, he will once again ride in support of Pogacar at the Tour de France, and so what happens at the Vuelta a Espana will be crucial. If he is finally given the chance to ride for himself, he might stay loyal to UAE. But if he is once again asked to sacrifice his personal ambitions, then perhaps it’s time for Almeida to look elsewhere.