"You could clearly see that everyone was good" - João Almeida believes legs were saved at Crans-Montana

Saturday, 20 May 2023 at 11:02

João Almeida started the Giro d'Italia yesterday in third place 22 seconds back on Geraint Thomas and finished the same way. The Portuguese rider has decided not to launch an attack up the summit finish to Crans-Montana, but he believes he wasn't the only one who had legs at the end.

"It was a good day. The start was tough, especially because of the place where we started," Almeida told CyclingPro.net. “The first part of the descent [of Croix de Coeur] was definitely a bit hectic. The road looked slippery and there was a lot of gravel on the road. I am glad that INEOS Grenadiers took responsibility. They carefully rode down. We were able to go down safely, that's the most important thing."

Read also

PREVIEW | Giro d'Italia 2023 stage 14 - Sprinter day with 20-kilometer Alpine pass to start the day

The shortening of the stage has certainly changed plans in the mind of some, however it led others to think about saving the day. Whilst INEOS Grenadiers took full responsibility over the peloton, most riders let themselves ride in the wheels, including the Portuguese who was left without support whilst both INEOS and Jumbo-Visma had numbers.

“The pace was very even throughout the climb. You could clearly see that everyone was good," Almeida, in the lead of the youth classification, concluded. Besides a few attacks from outsiders in the GC, no-one in the podium dared to attack. That's likely to be the case now until the final week, taking into consideration today's transition stage and how stage 15 should be set for the breakaway to succeed.