The 2024 Vuelta a Espana hasn't gone completely too plan for UAE Team Emirates. It began with João Almeida and Adam Yates as the weapons in the general classification, but from the first mountain stage the impression was given that Pavel Sivakov, Brandon McNulty and Isaac del Toro might also have ambitions of their own. Little by little, the team began to see the riders sinking in the general classification and João Almeida seemed to be the most capable of fighting for a podium in the Vuelta within the team.
But the 8th stage arrived and the Portuguese rider lost almost 5 minutes to Primoz Roglic, who was later found to be infected with Covid-19. The following day, Adam Yates, who was more than 9 minutes behind Ben O'Connor, joined the breakaway and re-entered the general classification, now 5 minutes and 30 seconds behind the Australian (1 minute and 37 seconds behind Primoz Roglic, in second place).
Also read
Report suggests Isaac Del Toro has tested positive for Covid-19 but remains at Vuelta a Espana
"On the first mountain stage, we arrived in Villuercas at 43 degrees, and yes, the heat is for everyone, but it affects some more than others and it affected us with Yates, who was in great shape and lost a lot of time. McNulty held on, but we were hoping for a bit more, and João was in his place," Joxean Matxín explains to Relevo and also regretted the American's bad day in the first week, as he was going to be a tactical weapon for the team.
"He was really close to quitting, so we lost a bullet that was very important to me, because nobody was counting on him for the overall and we wanted to use him and Del Toro tactically, but from that moment on it was impossible."
The 53-year-old Spaniard talks about João Almeida's infection with Covid-19 when the Portuguese rider was fighting for third place in the Vuelta. "As if we hadn't had enough! We test João with a PCR machine we have and see that there is a significant viral load index, on the edge of being dangerous to his health, so between that level of infection and the symptoms of fatigue he was showing, we decided to send him home. And, of course, the race changes for us."
The manager now has Adam Yates as the sole leader of the Vuelta's general classification, but admits that it's difficult to specify a goal. "We want to be protagonists. We'll be looking for stage wins, but also to improve Adam's situation and be aggressive, as we always have been. We're not going to settle for seventh place."
❌🇵🇹 João Almeida abandona #lavuelta24
— Portuguese Cycling Magazine (@PCMPTMag) August 25, 2024
Após perder quase 5 minutos ontem, confirma-se a infeção por Covid-19 do ciclista da UAE Team Emirates, que assim se retira da prova. Já no Giro 2022 tinha sido afetado pela doença.
Desejamos-te uma boa recuperação, João 🙏 pic.twitter.com/LJVCynOCQ2
