"There are 21 stages... each of us will have our chance and I'll have mine" - Nelson Oliveira set to make Portuguese cycling history at 2024 Tour de France

Nelson Oliveira is proud to equal the Portuguese record of 20 Grand Tours of Acácio da Silva in the 111th Tour de France where he will try to fight for a stage, despite the mission of also working in service of Enric Mas. 

At 35, the Portuguese cyclist with the most appearances in Grand Tours in recent decades reaches a historic milestone via his eighth participation in the Tour de France, going level with the feat of 20 Grand Tours, first achieved by a Portuguese with Acácio da Silva at the 1993 Giro d'Italia. "When I started my career, almost like everyone who starts, the dream was to do a grand tour and it came true, in my case, a long time ago [in 2011, at the Vuelta]. The years go by and the truth is that I wasn't expecting to ride 20 grand tours. But, fortunately, it happens and we're going into my 20th Grand Tour with more experience and more knowledge, but with the same desire as the first one, even though they're quite different," he told Lusa. "I didn't know I'd matched Acácio da Silva, because Acácio was a great Portuguese cyclist, one of the best Portuguese ever and, without a doubt, I think it would have been more difficult back then. Acácio certainly had great merit that season, but it's a source of enormous pride to be alongside the great Portuguese names."

The rider from Anadia believes that being called up for the Tour de France is solely due to the fact that he has always been very honest and serious in his work. His mission will be, "like all previous years, to work for the leader", although Enric Mas, who was fifth in 2020 and sixth in 2021, has abandoned the race in the last two editions of the Grand Boucle.

"I think Movistar know how valuable I am and that's certainly why they're betting on me, because they know I've worked hard to get where I am. I'm extremely grateful to the team for the support they've given me. I think that in order to be where we are, we all have to deserve it and, so far, I've done a good job to deserve it and that's why I've been one of those chosen in recent years to be in the Tour," he explains. "This year we hope that doesn't happen and that there's no bad luck, we'll try to look for it. His idea is to be in the top 10. He's worked well, we've prepared well for it, he's got value, and I don't think it's out of the question for him to make the top 10 or beyond, to improve on his previous results."

However, if Mas is left out of the fight for the overall, Movistar will fight for stages with Alex Aranburu and Oier Lazkano, Fernando Gaviria and Oliveira himself? "The opportunities are few, aren't they? There are 21 stages for 180 riders. But I think each of us will have our chance and I'll certainly have mine. The time trial will be for me to try and compete. We know that nowadays the leaders often do the time trial better than the specialists themselves. I'll be focused there, but I'll have the chance to get away and contest a stage."

Oliveira believes he's going to see "a very beautiful and different Tour, because it's also going to end in a different place than usual, because of the Olympic Games," but above all because of the presence of Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel. "They're big names and they're going to do everything they can to win. I think there's going to be a spectacle. It seems that the podium is practically already decided, but the Tour is very long, very tough. There are unpredictable days and you never know how the race will turn out in Nice. What's more, Nice will be a time trial. If the overall isn't already well defined, which I think it will be, you can still change leaders on the last day."

Pogacar showed his strength in the Giro, which is why "he's one of the targets to beat and he'll be very strong. Now there's the question of Vingegaard. I don't think he'll be 100%, but he'll probably pass a bit like Pogacar did last year. Roglic has also shown that he's doing very well and will certainly be in contention, and Remco will certainly do his bit. It's his first Tour, there's something different from the other Grand Tours, but he'll certainly do well," he said.

Oliveira also spoke of João Almeida, who will be making his Tour debut. "He can go far. He wouldn't be the first rider who, working for his leader, makes top 10 in the Tour or podiums. Despite everything, the Tour isn't the Giro or the Vuelta, it's a different race, the stress is different, the pressure is different and it's going to be a new experience for João, even though he's already had a few years in the World Tour and has made the podium in a Grand Tour," he concluded.