ROME – Finally Joao almeida (opening photo) UAE Emirates) he achieved his first podium in a major Giro. It sounds strange to say this, given that he is a rider of great substance, who we have been talking about for years, endowed with class, but this is… Once bad luck, once inexperience – just think of the “Giro in October” – those three steps seemed to have become a chimera.
The Portuguese of the UAE Emirates, for 48 hours, he had even been given as the favorite. After the Bondone, he seemed the strongest. He had won an uphill battle, and it's well known that when an athlete gains confidence, he can perform much better.
Then the IOC gradients put things back in order, as did his way of proceeding on the pass in the face of violent attacks and a more complicated feeling with the steep gradients. But The same steep slopes also brought out Almeida's best feature: tenacity. And between Giau, Tre Cime and Lussari there were kilometers of extreme slopes.
Lussari on the rise
After the Monte Lussari time trial, Joao tries to recover. He sips some water and is probably reviewing the performance he just completed in his head. A great performance: he took 42″ from Roglic, not an eternity, and he came in third.
«I think I managed the effort well – Joao said after the finish – The first part, the one on the flat, was the hardest for me, as I wasn't feeling well. Then, as I progressed, I felt better on the climbs. In the end, I did well, and I'm happy about that."
Knowing you've performed to the best of your ability is incredibly important for an athlete. And Joao is no exception. During the time trial he was almost afraid of losing third place and asked those following him on motorbikes for intermediate times. Small uncertainties that, if you don't jump out of your mind, which Almeida didn't do, become a stimulus.
More mature
In Rome, the Portuguese once again wore the white jersey of best young player, He's a regular now. This was his fifth major Tour and each time he found himself with the captain's rank. Only last year at the Vuelta did he have to share them with Ayuso.
But this time it was different. He wasn't just the promising young man who was called upon to do well. This time he challenged Roglic and, head-on, shoulder to shoulder. Thomas: not just any two. This time he was a leader with responsibilities.
"I think I've grown a lot," says Almeida, "and I think it showed. Ultimately, I've always done well. I lost some time on the Tre Cime, but because the two of them went faster, not because I had come down."
"True, the Bondone win was important for me. I was always second, and it had become difficult. Winning there gave me more confidence, but also more peace of mind, because that's always needed for racing."
Starting from Rome
This podium is a starting point. Almeida is an excellent athlete, but he needs to slowly get to the incredible level needed to win today. So the podium in Rome is okay, but let it not be the finish line.
"I – concludes Joao – knew that on Lussari it would be difficult for me. I knew that Primoz and Geraint were stronger, but what could I do? I tried to give my best, I managed my effort and I did almost the same time as Thomas. He won a Tour de France And being there with him is important. A victory for me.
«The last days of the Tour of Italy They were the most difficult: hard, long… I also fell and had some health problems… What did I have? The cold. I admit I was worried it was Covid, like last year, but luckily it wasn't. I managed to overcome it well. I recovered and got back to my normal level."
After his podium finish at the Imperial Forums, Joao will enjoy a few days off. "Then I'll aim for the national championship, and then we'll see. But I think I should do the Tour de Pologne and the Return».
