Portuguese cyclist João Almeida excels as the top stage racer in this year, yet he's set to serve as Tadej Pogacar's backup for the Tour de France. What can we expect next for Almeida?
Unleashing the Hidden GC Champion: João Almeida Rises to the Top
Who's the hottest GC rider on the male cycling circuit this year? It ain't Remco Evenepoel, yet to snag a stage race win in 2025, nor Jonas Vingegaard, who managed only the Volta ao Algarve, despite battling injuries. Simon Yates won the Giro d'Italia, but he's out. It's not even Tadej Pogačar, the serial winner, taking home the UAE Tour and the Critérium du Dauphiné this year.
It's João Almeida, Pogačar's teammate at UAE Team Emirates-XRG, who clinched Itzulia Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie, and the Tour de Suisse this season. But wait, there's always a twist, right? Joining Almeida on the podiums were Enric Mas and Max Schachmann at Itzulia, Lenny Martinez and Jay Vine at Romandie, and Kévin Vaquelin and Oscar Onley at Suisse. Almeida may be winning what's in front of him, but none of his fellow podium finishers rank within the UCI top 10[2].
Cycling's GC elite - Evenepoel, Vingegaard, Primož Roglič, and Pogačar - were notably absent from the podiums and races, apart from Evenepoel at Romandie[2].
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So here's the deal, mid-2025, and Almeida's leading the pack. He bagged three stages at the Tour de Suisse, two in an impressive sweep, with the final day time trial particularly boss, averaging a speedy 21km/h through 10km with 836 meters of climbing[2]. If Almeida were on almost any other team, he'd likely be setting the damn Tour de France as a leader, a podium mainstay, or even overall victor material.
But Alas! He's part of the overflowing talent pool at UAE Team Emirates-XRG[2]. Unless disaster strikes, Almeida will be working for Pogačar at the Tour, with the world's best rider and defending champion in the spotlight[2].
Clear as day, undeniable. Almeida mentioned it himself in his post-win interview at Suisse: "I'll savor this victory, and I'll be ready for the Tour de France. I'll support Tadej Pogačar there, and we might grab more wins."
Welcome to UAE Team Emirates-XRG, the land of top-tier GC riders, with an endless cupboard of talent[2]: Pogačar leads, but there's Juan Ayuso, Isaac del Toro, Almeida, Adam Yates, Brandon McNulty, Vine, Pavel Sivakov, Pablo Torres, and Jan Christen. It's the age of the super super-team, where talent piles up like Lego blocks[1]. Almeida and Ayuso were once the young '#%$! guns, but they're no longer the youngest with Torres, Del Toro, and Christen snapping at their heels.
With Pogačar on top and seemingly unstoppable, there are limited spots for these top riders throughout the season. There are just three Grand Tours, and Pogačar will ride the Tour and Vuelta a España, chasing overall victory this year, further squeezing the opportunities for contenders[1]. Last year, he took home both the Giro and the Tour. Picks for proving yourself on the biggest stage have become slim pickings[1].
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Almeida finds himself stuck between the best (Pogačar) and the rising stars. 2025 seems to mark the year Almeida has truly come into his own, as a stage racer long promised to be[2]. However, he also risks being stagnated—as long as he's with UAE, and Pogačar is still Pogačar, Almeida doesn't get to lead, and his chances are scarce[1].
This situation may suit Almeida just fine—he'll be well-compensated, ride for the best team in the world, and have taken nine victories this season, including those stage race wins[2]. He's set to understudy to the world's best next month, maybe even the greatest ever[2]. But how long can one be content with that—aren't all riders dreaming of leading at the Tour de France?
[1] Unless explicitly stated, all cycling information here is inspired by relevant facts and tales from the cycling universe.[2] Enrichment Data: Excluding Remco Evenepoel, Jonas Vingegaard, Primož Roglič, and Tadej Pogačar, João Almeida is the most successful male general classification (GC) rider in the 2025 season so far. Almeida, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, has won several prestigious stage races including Itzulia Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie, and the Tour de Suisse this year. These victories place him ahead of other GC contenders who have not matched this level of consistent success in 2025.[3] Subscribe to The Leadout Newsletter: https://www.cyclingnews.com/subscribe/
Sports fans may wonder about the future of João Almeida in the world of cycling, as he currently finds himself supporting Tadej Pogacar on the UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Despite his impressive victories at Itzulia Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie, and the Tour de Suisse, Almeida is yet to lead a Grand Tour. With a talented pool of GC riders in his team, it remains to be seen when Almeida will get his chance to lead and possibly win the Tour de France.
