• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

João Almeida - Bota Lume

Page 34 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Now that Almeida won his first WT stage race please allow me guys to get out of my chest… no more Kelderman jokes please!!
P.S. yes I know that was against a kind off 3rd tier field but so was Evenepoel win at Denmark (even weaker field) so let me indulge myself and hype this one
Now that Almeida is leaving DQS the title of this thread should be changed to 'Joao Almeida is the new Kelderman' asap.
 
"Bota Lume" is a good choice because in Portuguese it is a very unusual expression and he chose for himself, idk why, maybe it is a regional saying.

I'm from the center north of the country and I see that expression several times. Not everyday but in coloquial terms, in my case specially used by middle and long distance runners when they or someone did something they found worthwhile.

That's the reason I actually despise that catchphrase, in my circle of acquaintances is used mostly by amateur runners who find the need to post every single one of their runs and practices online with long philosophical texts full of grammatical errors. /endofgeneralization
 
I'm from the center north of the country and I see that expression several times. Not everyday but in coloquial terms, in my case specially used by middle and long distance runners when they or someone did something they found worthwhile.

That's the reason I actually despise that catchphrase, in my circle of acquaintances is used mostly by amateur runners who find the need to post every single one of their runs and practices online with long philosophical texts full of grammatical errors. /endofgeneralization


My wife is Portuguese and she never heard that expression before. And I once read a journalist saying it has a "Brazilian accent," lol.
 
I myself being a northern (born and raised in Porto) never heard before the expression “bota lume” … the only similar expression i hear all the time farther north it’s used by “transmontanos” they tend to say “bota lá” replacing the words “adeus” or “tchau”.

As a conclusion IMO “ João Almeida #botalume” would be a good choice as it already became a trademark for the Portuguese youngster.
 
Ok but what does the expression mean?

Roughly translated is something like "fire it up".

"Bota" is not a very correct word in portuguese. Traditionally the most appropriate use for "bota" is the direct translation of "boot" (the shoe). But it's informal meaning is very used in youth groups. I think it comes from the abbreviation of "Embora" (let's go) to "Bora" and then to "Bota". It's also used sometimes in the context of someone asking if you want more drink or more food or something like that and if someone answers "Bota" is an affirmative expression to indicate that he can refill.

"Lume" is directed translated to "fire" or "flame".
 
Last edited:
Really? It's not very common, but I've heard it many times before.

I also thought it was some king of abreviation, but according to the dictionary, the verb "botar" comes from the french verb bouter.

Being trully honest here, i'm 40 years old and can't recall hearing the expression "bota lume" before being used by Almeida as a call for arms. As i said earlier very used to ear the expression "bota lá" between "transmontanos" when after being together they separate themselves. Maybe it's an expression used in the center/south part of Portugal?
 
The problem with "bota lume" is nobody but a select group of people will know what it is all about. I read this debate and i have no clue what it means.

Butter bread?

Despite that i haven't heard it before as soon as i heard it for the 1st time i knew what it meant, every Portuguese will immediatly knows what it means because it's a very straighforward popular expression.

As for the meaning and within this context it could translate as "go strong", " set it on fire", "give everything you got"
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: Sandisfan and noob
In my case, I have heard expression many times before, particularly in car racing/tuning scene.

I won't say it's a common expression but it's far from the rarety many people make it out to be.

In my case I am from the very noth of Portugal (Monção) and studied and currently work/live in Porto.

Maybe it's explain then why I wasn´t related with that expression, I never went with car racing/tuning or any other motorized related sports. Only football and leisure cycling so it could be it
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Despite that i haven't heard it before as soon as i heard it for the 1st time i knew what it meant, every Portuguese will immediatly knows what it means because it's a very straighforward popular expression.

As for the meaning it could translate within this context "go strong", " set it on fire", "give everything you got"

I guess still best to use the English expression then. As volk and orel are great but wolf and eagle resonate better on world stage.

P.S. Just don't use Alm, not being able to pronounce Almeida.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
I guess still best to use the English expression then. As volk and orel are great but wolf and eagle resonate better on world stage.

P.S. Just don't use Alm, not being able to pronounce Almeida.

Last year and when Almeida was with the pink jersey some people in Portugal also called him the "pink panther", not sure if it came from his mother, but i'm not very fun of that nickname.
In social media, at least with the portuguese fans the replies of greetings and cheers about Almeida news/post are in a large percentage the fire emoji and #botalume
 

TRENDING THREADS