Rider João Almeida Secures Victory in Stage 4 of Tour de Suisse Soloing on the Splügenpass
A Scorching Comeback by João Almeida
João Almeida, the Portuguese powerhouse from UAE Team Emirates-XRG, set the Tour de Suisse 2025 ablaze with a commanding stage 4 victory, outpacing his rivals in a 49-kilometer solo ride that steered him closer to the GC title. Almeida's triumphant ascent up the mountainous route to Piuro, Italy, began on the Splügenpass climb, where his team skillfully dismantled the remnants of the breakaway, providing a stellar platform for their leader.
Jan Christen expertly set the tempo, ultimately giving Almeida the push he needed to forge ahead alone. Almeida didn't spring away from his rivals in a dazzling burst, but rather gradually rode them off his wheel with just over 1.8 km left on the category 1 climb. Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) and Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) were the last riders dropped in his wake.
The final 50km largely consisted of downhill roads, and Almeida's strategic prowess shone as he managed to maintain a bendable advantage to the finish line. The failure to collaborate amongst his GC competitors behind enabled him to sustain his lead throughout the remainder of the stage, crossing the line with a winning margin of 40 seconds over Onley and O'Connor, who mounted a spirited, joint attack in the final 7km from the chase group.
Pre-race frontrunner Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) showed resilience, losing contact on the 8.8km climb but rallying during the descent to reunite with the main chase group. Though he lost 1:10 to Almeida at the line, Grégoire managed to maintain the yellow jersey. The Frenchman now faces another grueling mountain stage on Thursday, still holding a slim lead over Almeida in the overall standings, with a deficit of 2:07 for the UAE rider to make up if he hopes to defend the team's 2024 title in Switzerland.
"It was a brutal effort, with exceptional teamwork," Almeida rejoiced after his stage win, demonstrating a cautious yet optimistic attitude regarding his potential GC comeback. "Yeah, there's still a long way to go, a lot of time to get back, but I'm happy with the stage win, and we will go ahead and revel in this one," he said. Almeida emphasized the staunchness of his resolve, signaling his intent to attack once more on Thursday.
Brutal mountain terrain awaits the riders on Thursday's stage, with Santa Maria in Calanca looming large. Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) needs only 25 seconds on his compatriot to snatch the lead, while O'Connor occupies a favorable position given the minimal gap of 56 seconds that separates him from the yellow jersey.
Historic Revelations
Almeida's stage win marked a significant comeback in the general classification (GC) standings. His victory was his sixth triumph of the 2025 season, and all of his victories have come in WorldTour races, a testament to his strong form this season[1][2][3][4].
In the overall standings after stage 4, Romain Grégoire remains in the lead, with a 25-second advantage over Kévin Vauquelin and 29 seconds over Julian Alaphilippe. João Almeida now sits at 7th place in the standings, 2 minutes and 7 seconds behind Grégoire[1]. Almeida's stage win signaled a promising start to his GC comeback at the Tour de Suisse 2025.
Sports have been a significant part of the Tour de Suisse 2025, particularly with João Almeida's commanding comeback in the general classification (GC) standings. Almeida's impressive stage 4 win, marked his sixth triumph of the 2025 season, all of which have been in WorldTour races, showcasing his strong form this season.
