João Almeida’s face lit up as he crossed the finish line, beaming with pride after claiming victory in the Volta ao País Basco. The 26-year-old Portuguese cyclist, riding for UAE-Emirates, sealed the overall win by dominating the final stage, finishing 1 minute and 52 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
A Team Effort
Almeida credited his team’s stellar performance for his success. “The team did an incredible job, just like on other days,” he said. The UAE-Emirates squad was instrumental in setting up Almeida for the win, controlling the peloton and positioning him for the final sprint. As the rain made the roads slippery, Almeida found himself in the right place at the right time, taking advantage of the conditions to secure the victory.
In the final kilometers, Almeida was accompanied by Enric Mas of Movistar, who made a late surge to try and take the stage win. Almeida wasn’t having it, though. He recalled, “He was very strong, and in the last attack, I tried to drop him, but he was too powerful. So, I stayed with him, and when I saw an opportunity, I sprinted to the finish.”
A Personal Triumph
For Almeida, this win is a milestone in his career. It’s his first stage race victory with UAE-Emirates, and it came after a lot of hard work and dedication. “It’s tough to be a professional cyclist nowadays,” he said. “The level is very high, and it requires a lot of sacrifices from me and my family.” As he celebrated with his parents, who were beaming with pride, Almeida knew that this win was worth all the effort.
As he looked to the future, Almeida was optimistic. “This is just the beginning,” he said, with a huge smile on his face. “I’m excited to see what the future holds, and I’m grateful to have such an amazing team behind me.”
- João Almeida won the Volta ao País Basco.
- He finished 1 minute and 52 seconds ahead of the runner-up.
- Almeida rode for UAE-Emirates.
