UAE Emirates may be winning a lot of races due to a certain Tadej Pogačar and Isaac del Toro (to mention just a few on the superteam), but there is some not great news for Portuguese star João Almeida.
He will not start the Giro d’Italia, confirming the news himself Monday after a disrupted spring left him short of fitness for the race he “loves so much.” UAE Emirates XRG later backed that decision, citing an interrupted preparation following illness earlier this season.
The 26-year-old hasn’t raced since late March. Then, he struggled to make an impact at the Volta a Catalunya. Portuguese reports pointed to a viral syndrome picked up early in the year, with complications now requiring further evaluation.
Almeida kept details limited but made it clear the focus has shifted. “Together with the team, we decided to take a rest period and then look ahead to new goals,” he said. “For now, it’s time to recover and rebuild the condition gradually.”
UAE Emirates XRG have yet to confirm a Giro leader, with Adam Yates and Jay Vine among the likely general classification options.
CanCon wise, there is one rider who is hoping to do big things. Osgoode, Ont.’s Derek Gee-West is returning to the Giro d’Italia, where he hopes to improve on his last go in 2025, where he was fourth.
His spring has been decent, not great, but hopefully he is going to be ready for the Corsa Rosa. Riding with his new team, Lidl-Trek, he had a nice debut, finishing 7th overall at the UAE Tour. But at the Volta a Catalunya he had to abandon, saying he wasn’t feeling great.
At the recent Tour of the Alps he rode much better, getting valuable race miles and efforts, including a lot of climbing.
This year’s Giro begins May 8 and goes to May 31. The Grande Partenza is in Bulgaria, with the traditional closer ending in Rome.
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