EXCLUSIVE: “I hope someday to improve Joaquim Agostinho’s position, and also to win a stage” – João Almeida at the Tour de France’s rest day
João Almeida on the parallel with Portuguese legend Joaquim Agostinho, his role within UAE Team Emirates and his next goal.
João Almeida is in 4th place in the Tour de France. Not since Joaquim Agostinho has a Portuguese been so well classified in the queen cycling race, and with a serious chance of taking this classification all the way. Interestingly, Almeida achieved this position not as leader of UAE Team Emirates, but as another helper to the stratospheric Tadej Pogačar, and what a helper! It all started at Col du Galibier, imposing the high pace that allowed the Slovenian to attack for the yellow jersey, and then continued at Pla d’Adet, while at Plateau de Beille there was flexibility to make his race and, through an impressive recovery, maintain 4th place. Now the last week of the Tour arrives and, with it, the Alps. He is ready for the challenge.
On this day that marks 45 years since one of the greatest achievements in Portuguese cycling, Agostinho’s victory at Alpe d’Huez, as well as the last rest day of the Tour de France before arriving in Nice, we spoke with João Almeida about what has already come and what is yet to come.

Photo: Unknown
Portuguese Cycling Magazine – Good afternoon, João. First of all, we wanted to congratulate you on the great Tour de France you have been doing! Today marks 45 years since Joaquim Agostinho’s victory at Alpe d’Huez. At the moment you are in 4th and, if you maintain this place, it will be the best classification by a Portuguese on the Tour in 45 years. How do you feel becoming aware of this fact?
João Almeida – It’s very positive. I would be happy if I finished in 4th position, obviously because it’s my first Tour. It’s going pretty well and it’s been pretty tough. I hope to one day equal or improve Joaquim Agostinho’s position, and also win a stage. It’s a goal I would like to achieve. Other than that, I think it’s been a pretty good race and these facts give me more motivation. Of course, until the end everything is possible, but with everything remaining normal, 4th position would already be a victory and a good first Tour for me.
Now that Pogačar has a wider lead in the general classification, with 3 minutes over Vingegaard, do you believe that you will be able to have more freedom not only to defend your place, but also to seek that stage win?
Yes, we have a very comfortable advantage at the moment in the general classification. But the Tour is only won in Nice and until then, we have very tough and important stages. I think it will be very difficult for me to fight for a stage, so this year, it will be very difficult to achieve this goal. We have difficult days ahead where we have to be by Tadej’s side, for whatever is necessary, and that is the focus until the last time trial.
How have you approached the need to balance your GC with your teammate’s yellow jersey?
The goal is really Tadej. The focus is on him. So I’m not thinking so much about my GC. I’m not going to throw in the towel or give away free time, but my GC place is secondary. My goal is to always help Tadej as much as I can and that’s how I’ve been going every day.

Photo: ASO
At the beginning of the Tour, precisely at the Col du Galibier, you encouraged Juan Ayuso to climb in the group to work together with you. What can you tell us about this race situation?
It’s very simple. We had a plan before the race and the plan wasn’t fulfilled 100%, because we weren’t all well positioned at the front. Then we had to adapt the plan a little. Even so, we managed to achieve our goal, which was for Tadej to gain time on Vingegaard and win the stage. So it was a great day, once again we adapted the plan well and it went perfectly, we managed to achieve our goal.
As for yesterday’s stage, it was one of the great performances in the history of the Tour and cycling. As always, you raced very intelligently, managing your effort from the beginning of the climb. When you were dropped, did you believe you could finish 5th in the stage?
These last few days I haven’t had the best feeling. So when we started the last climb, I knew that wasn’t my pace. Tadej was ‘delivered’ [well placed in front], from then on there wasn’t much more I could do, so I set my pace, maximized my effort and the opponents exploded. That was my goal, to maximize my effort and the legs I had, and I hope to have a better feeling.
After the Tour will come the Vuelta, another goal of yours. Since the Tour de Suisee that you are in perhaps the best shape of your life. How do you plan to maintain this shape in the coming months?
At the moment, in the Tour, I honestly don’t think I have the Suisse legs… I was also sick after Suisse, maybe that was it, but it’s been minimally good, I’m happy with my performance anyway. Obviously, until the Vuelta, the secret will be to rest and make a minimally good preparation to start the race in good shape. So the race is long, it’s three weeks, and there’s time to get tired.
A few months ago, it was announced by one of your sponsors that you would compete in the Olympic Games, but you ended up not being part of coach José Poeira’s final list. What changed in this goal?
I really wish I had done the Games. It is always an honor and pride to represent Portugal, even more so at the Olympic Games. It was the coach’s complete decision to take Rui Costa and Nelson Oliveira. Obviously I respect the coach’s decision and I think Portugal will be well represented, they will certainly put on a good performance. No hard feelings. May everything go for the best! And the fact that we only have two places, but we have many good riders, is already a good sign, it means that we have several riders who can do a good race.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency
Finally, we wanted to ask you for a message for the Portuguese fans, who will certainly be in full force in the Alps.
A special thank you to all the Portuguese! It has been an incredible support every day on the road, at the start, on the bus, on the highway, on the climbs, everywhere. Clearly they make a difference. It’s a pride and an honor to always have Portuguese flags, all shouting for ‘Bota Lume’, and I’m very grateful for everyone’s support!
We thank João Almeida and UAE Team Emirates for their availability to give us this interview and we wish them good luck in the rest of the Tour de France.
Cover photo: Thomas Samson/AFP