João Almeida has maintained a similar calendar over the past few seasons; however, in 2024, he is set to make his debut in the Tour de France and participate in the Olympic Games. Although his primary focus for the season is on these events, the cyclist from Caldas da Rainha is also committed to the Vuelta a España, which will start in Lisbon.
Vuelta starting in Portugal
“We have the Olympic Games, then the Vuelta starting in Portugal… that’s also quite special. We have to manage the calendar well. Personally, before knowing it would start in Portugal, my goal was just the Tour and the Olympic Games, obviously if selected, and maybe leave the Vuelta as a plan B if I felt good. But starting in Portugal… a major tour rarely begins in our country, so I think it would be very good to do the Vuelta,” said João Almeida to the newsletter of the Portuguese Cycling Federation.
O diretor esportivo da UAE apoia João Almeida
“Sem dúvida, o João tem uma motivação especial, conhece o Contrarrelógio e defende-se bem na modalidade”, argumentou Joxean Matxín. A Vuelta 2024 é uma grande aposta, com um contrarrelógio inicial em Lisboa e outro no final. Na véspera haverá um dia de montanha, em Picón Blanco, que poderá mudar a corrida, com quase 5.000 metros de desnível.
