João Almeida - Bota Lume

[SHAD0W93]

Great ride by Almeida and barring a shift in form will have a comfortable second place. Hopefully he can get a stage win or has a stage where he goes all in to try and attack Vingegaard. Like others have said, it stinks he crashed out of the Tour.

 

[greyclouds]

People are focusing on Ayuso, but neither Soler nor Großschartner worked for him, and Vine only did a pull. And his criticism of his teamantes doesn't seem like the best way to get them to work harder in the next stages.

I didn’t even noticed that Felix was here.

Bringing a team with Felix, Domen, Jay, Soler and Bjerg and only having one of them helping for a 1km at the beginning of a shallow climb must be frustrating for Almeida.

 

[scribers]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1962180867771466186

View: https://x.com/veloncc/status/1962180867771466186?s=46&t=X4NqNG7J5ZQ-MxPOi53ECQ


Almeida is spicy 🌶️

 

[proffate]

There was. He could have buried himself for a 1km pull for Almeida.

Vingegaard's attack was 11km to go, from a 30 man group. Lets not act like it was a thinned out GC group already.

Vine was there at that moment and was having a hard time seeing a place Joao could follow. And then like 30 seconds later Almeida was leading the chase. Almeida marches to the beat of his own drum and is evidently very hard to help.

 

[noob]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1962180867771466186

View: https://x.com/veloncc/status/1962180867771466186?s=46&t=X4NqNG7J5ZQ-MxPOi53ECQ


Almeida is spicy 🌶️

Funniest thing is people seem to think he's laid back, chill or even "too nice", but I never got that impression. It's not the first time he has a meltdown on TV. But it was indeed a bit funny to see his Remco impression 😆

As the speed went up on the climb today before Jonas attacked I wondered where on earth Almeida was. I couldn't find him, he's always so well hidden inside the peleton.

 

[Netserk]

People are focusing on Ayuso, but neither Soler nor Großschartner worked for him, and Vine only did a pull. And his criticism of his teamantes doesn't seem like the best way to get them to work harder in the next stages.

Vine was in position, but when he had Almeida on his wheel and immediately reacted to the Visma attack, Almeida let his wheel go. Vine went all-out, and the pace from then on made it impossible for the rest to move to the front and take over.

 

[Rob5091]

Ooh, spicy stuff from Almeida ...
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...sing-jonas-vingegaard-on-stage-9-of-la-vuelta

“He said I needed to grow some balls, ..."

https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...ngegaard-gains-vuelta-gc-advantage-on-stage-9

“Today, I was a bit short on team support. In the end, there was no one with me. That’s just how it is,” Almeida told Eurosport in his post-stage interview immediately afterwards, offering a typically blunt assessment of the situation.

Ayuso 157th on the stage at 21 min 50 seconds and Vine 76th at 13 min and 4 seconds. So it seems to be just Soler who is helping Almeida now.

 

[P4rthen0n]

Vingegaard lâche les chevaux à Valdezcaray, Almeida et Pidcock impressionnent aussi ! - Watts2Win

La Vuelta ciclista a España 2025 | Jonas Vingegaard was the fastest on the climb of Valdezcaray. Discover all times and watts estimations on Watts2Win.

watts2win.eu

Almeida with an all time great performance yesterday.
Congratz to him!

Maybe next time he will have some support from UAE, to help get him over the small gap to Vingegaard (who also did incredibly well, one of the best performances of his carreer).

ps: this actually puts him on par with 2024 Remco's climbing numbers.
He is also already on par with 2024 Remco's annoyance at group 2 shenanigans and criticism towards other riders' lack of balls.
Very exciting stuff.

 

[theyoungest]

The consensus from both Almeida himself and the pundits seem to be that he was too far back in the group, and if he wasn't he could have followed Vingegaard... so I went and had a look at the moment Jorgenson launched Vingegaard, and actually Almeida was not far back at all. He just had to let a gap because he couldn't follow the attack, he doesn't have the explosiveness. If Vingegaard has noticed the same he'll know that this is probably the way to beat Almeida on most climbs. If you wait for the final few kms Almeida's diesel is running and there's a bigger chance he can follow.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Very decent of him to be the team player and only comment on how his rivals are not supporting him
So far Jonas and Tom have felt his wrath, but no Juan.

 

[P4rthen0n]

The consensus from both Almeida himself and the pundits seem to be that he was too far back in the group, and if he wasn't he could have followed Vingegaard... so I went and had a look at the moment Jorgenson launched Vingegaard, and actually Almeida was not far back at all. He just had to let a gap because he couldn't follow the attack, he doesn't have the explosiveness. If Vingegaard has noticed the same he'll know that this is probably the way to beat Almeida on most climbs. If you wait for the final few kms Almeida's diesel is running and there's a bigger chance he can follow.

Exactly. Vingegaard read the situation correctly and then had the legs to execute. Chapeau to him.

João Almeida seems scared to crack during climbs, so he prefers to set his own pace and only goes all out in the last couple km, where he is sure he won't crack.

If Vingegaard attacks from further out, or employs a leadout train very early in the climb (like in Plateau de Beille in TdF 2024), it places a tremendous pressure on Almeida.

 

[Cycling111]

LOL

https://twitter.com/x/status/1962452499031359875

View: https://x.com/falsoplanoblog/status/1962452499031359875

 

[Ripper]

Funniest thing is people seem to think he's laid back, chill or even "too nice", but I never got that impression. It's not the first time he has a meltdown on TV. But it was indeed a bit funny to see his Remco impression 😆

As the speed went up on the climb today before Jonas attacked I wondered where on earth Almeida was. I couldn't find him, he's always so well hidden inside the peleton.

You mean asleep?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Moment of the attack, choosing not to follow. Most of his team were not good but that doesn't account for him not being brave enough to keep the wheel and risk blowing up. He looked pretty strong, but if he wants to beat Vingegaard then trying to follow his move is a minimum.

 

[theyoungest]

Moment of the attack, choosing not to follow. Most of his team were not good but that doesn't account for him not being brave enough to keep the wheel and risk blowing up. He looked pretty strong, but if he wants to beat Vingegaard then trying to follow his move is a minimum.

This is the moment I was talking about, he's not far back at all when Jorgenson and Vingegaard attack. He's actually very close to the front, for his standards. Whether he's choosing not to follow or he just can't do it, I don't know, but the excuse that he was too far back is just nonsense.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Moment of the attack, choosing not to follow. Most of his team were not good but that doesn't account for him not being brave enough to keep the wheel and risk blowing up. He looked pretty strong, but if he wants to beat Vingegaard then trying to follow his move is a minimum.

Jay v$ne right on the wheel!!! Surely has to think about targeting a GC podium next year. He has a good time trial as well.

 

[theyoungest]

Jay v$ne right on the wheel!!! Surely has to think about targeting a GC podium next year. He has a good time trial as well.

Yes! Let's promote the idea that Jay Vine should go for his own GC. Free Jay Vine! Even more chaos on UAE!

We'll ignore the fact that Vine can't stay on his bike for more than three consecutive stages.

 

[noob]

You mean asleep?

I'm not sure if that is what he is. Is it? Despite him crashing this tdf I'm still gonna say that he hardly ever crashes so I can't imagine he's "asleep".

 

[carolina]

He can't follow these acelerations, this is not news

Vine waited and helped to decrease the gap, but he wanted/needed someone else to help him after Vine.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Yes! Let's promote the idea that Jay Vine should go for his own GC. Free Jay Vine! Even more chaos on UAE!

It's what we all want!

 

[Ripper]

This is the moment I was talking about, he's not far back at all when Jorgenson and Vingegaard attack. He's actually very close to the front, for his standards. Whether he's choosing not to follow or he just can't do it, I don't know, but the excuse that he was too far back is just nonsense.

Perhaps it took him a few seconds to clue in that vingo was attacking? Partly joking, but partly ... who knows, asleep at the wheel?

🤣

 

[Ripper]

I'm not sure if that is what he is. Is it? Despite him crashing this tdf I'm still gonna say that he hardly ever crashes so I can't imagine he's "asleep".

It is more a figure of speech. As in, he's not attentive to the racing going on around him. This does not mean he's not attentive to the riders near him and is able to not cross wheels, etc.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Ayuso is gone during the Vuelta. 2009 Astana vibes in those hotels for sure.

 

[P4rthen0n]

João Almeida: «Aos que fazem um bom trabalho faço sempre questão de dizer 'obrigado'»

Corredor de UAE-Emirates abordou tensões dentro da equipa, sobretudo com Juan Ayuso, depois de ter queixado de ter ficado sozinho na 9.ª etapa da Volta a Espanha; sabe que precisa de equipa unida

www.abola.pt

João Almeida said a few things:
- he's remorseful for saying that the team didn't do enough. The team helped him all day long and he's thankful for that;
- Vine was incredible;
- Soler might look like he's acting crazy but his push in the final 1km was actually planned;
- Ayuso's help was missed... it would probably be enough to close the gap initially;
- UAE had 2 leaders at the start of the Vuelta, now there's only 1;
- Pogacar is stronger than him. They are different riders so the team has to adapt to the difference in style and habilities;
- Vingegaard is stronger than Almeida, but Almeida will fight for the win anyway;
- after his crash and fractured rib in the Tour, Almeida himself was unsure of his form for the Vuelta. He says the Vuelta is going well so far.

 

[Hugh Januss]

He can't follow these acelerations, this is not news

Vine waited and helped to decrease the gap, but he wanted/needed someone else to help him after Vine.

Vine did wait after first reacting to the attack Almeida was very close behind and never got up of his saddle to catch Vine's wheel. Vine actually had to stop pedaling to collect Almeida, but he could then only give about 800 meters before swinging off and he didn't seem to be going that hard as there were still 12-15 guys in line behind them. When Almeida finally got going he did a good job of limiting the gap, but he really looked unconcerned initially. Should have been right on Vine's wheel when he jumped after the initial attack.