João Almeida assumed to be a candidate to discuss the 51st round of the Algarve on bicycle, considering that the presence of Jonas Vingegaard, in an edition whose path is “a breath of fresh air”, will harden the race.
“I think I’m one of the candidates to discuss the race. Clearly there are corridors that are stronger or appear to be stronger. The hardest part is done, which is training. Now, it is focusing on the race and controlling what we can control, ”began by saying UAE Emirates’ Portuguese cyclist at a press conference at the Portimão Museum.
Dorsal number ‘1’ of the edition that will be on the road between Wednesday and Sunday, the best Portuguese voltista today rejected to feel “extra pressure” for competing in ‘home’, ensuring the return to the Algarve with “Responsibility Normal of each race ”, which is going to do its best.
“I started my season, it’s not the first race anymore. So, being the house race, my country, I clearly come with great ambitions, ”he said.
Second classified from the return to the Valencian community, evidence in which the season began, João Almeida acknowledged that the unprecedented presence of Jonas Vingegaard, the Visma-Lease Dane the bike that won the return to France in 2022 and 2023, will become 51. ª ‘Algarvia’ ‘a little harder’.
“But it’s good, I raise the race even more. It is a corridor that is a good comparison term, ”he said.
In addition to Vingegaard, the fourth classified of Tour2024 will also be an eye on Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bansgrohe), the four-time Vuelta champion with whom he shared podium on Giro2023-the Slovenian won and the Portuguese was third-and that, initially , was scheduled for the press conference on Monday, but did not attend.
“Despite being their first race, they are corridors that everyone already knows, it’s nothing new. Where they go, discuss the races. It is for them that we will also be a little looking at these steps [difíceis] And be more attentive, ”he said.
The 26-year-old corridor praised the quality of the Algarve Startlist, pointing out as an example the two cyclists-Julian Alaphilippe and Filippo Ganna-who shared protagonism with the press conference on Monday, and considering that “it is always a one of the strongest ”on the calendar.
“It’s a very hard race that you can see how the shape is. Not only me, but all the corridors [sentem o mesmo]. I even think classic corridors like to come to the Algarve to see how they feel, and serves as preparation for these races, ”he said, remembering that ‘Algarvia’ happens“ at a very good time to train, to prepare the rest of the era”.
This edition presents some innovations in the layout, namely a ‘chronoscalada’ in the last stage, arriving at Alto do Malhão, appreciated by the national cyclist, who estimates that this new course may favor him, but also to other voltistas.
“In the end, it will win the strongest of either way. It’s a good way to do things a little different and change the route in a positive way. I think it gives here a breath of fresh air to the race and is a different challenge. It is very good. Personally, I like it, ”he admitted.
Almeida also spoke of his memories of, in which he will align for the third time, indicating the first, in which he helped his former companion and champion in Title of the Tasting Remco Evenepoel – is absent due to a fall – reaching the first of three wins, as the most special.
“It is always special the race of our country, it is always a taste to run in Portugal, and to be the target of people’s support,” he said.
The 51st lap to the Algarve starts on Wednesday, in Portimão, and ends on Sunday, with a ‘chronoscalada’ with the end in the malion.
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