Portuguese cyclist João Almeida has withdrawn from the 2026 Giro d’Italia after aggravating his physical condition, according to reports from SAPO. The UAE Team Emirates XRG rider was set to lead the team in the upcoming Grand Tour, which begins on May 8, 2026, in Italy.
Almeida, born on August 5, 1998, in A dos Francos – Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, has been a key figure for UAE Team Emirates XRG since joining the squad in 2022. The 27-year-old climber previously held the race leader’s pink jersey for two weeks during his Grand Tour debut at the 2020 Giro d’Italia, where he finished fourth overall — the best result by a Portuguese rider in the race’s history.
His 2023 Giro d’Italia campaign yielded significant achievements, including a stage win and the young rider classification title, cementing his status as one of Portugal’s most successful cyclists in recent years. Almeida also captured a stage victory and a team time trial stage in the 2025 Vuelta a España, demonstrating his consistency across Grand Tours.
The withdrawal marks a significant shift in UAE Team Emirates XRG’s plans for the 2026 season. Earlier reports had confirmed Almeida’s absence from the 2026 Tour de France, with Isaac del Toro selected as Tadej Pogacar’s primary domestique for that race. Almeida was instead slated to serve as the team leader for the Giro d’Italia, marking his first participation in the race since 2023.
According to his verified 2026 race calendar, Almeida’s season was scheduled to begin with the Volta à Comunidade Valenciana in February, followed by the Volta ao Algarve. His spring program included Paris-Nice and the Volta à Catalunha in March, with the Giro d’Italia planned for May. After the Italian Grand Tour, he was expected to compete in the Portuguese National Road Championships in June, then the Vuelta a Burgos in August, before concluding his season at the Vuelta a España in late August.
Almeida’s palmares includes national titles in both the road race and time trial disciplines. He won the Portuguese National Road Race Championships in 2022 and claimed the National Time Trial Championships in 2021 and 2023. Standing at 1.78 meters tall and weighing 63 kilograms, the Portuguese rider has established himself as a formidable climber capable of challenging for overall positions in stage races.
The aggravation of his physical condition comes at a pivotal moment in his career. Almeida had shown strong form in early 2025 stage races, including victories in the Tour de Romandie, Tour de Suisse, Tour of the Basque Country, and Tour de Pologne. These results had positioned him as a genuine contender for a top-five finish in the 2026 Giro d’Italia general classification.
With Almeida’s withdrawal, UAE Team Emirates XRG will necessitate to reassess its leadership structure for the Giro d’Italia. The team, which also includes Tadej Pogacar — though his primary focus for 2026 remains the Tour de France — will look to other riders to fill the void left by Almeida’s absence. No official replacement has been announced by the team as of this reporting.
The Giro d’Organizzatori has not yet released an updated start list reflecting Almeida’s withdrawal. The race is set to begin on May 8, 2026, with the opening individual time trial in an Italian city to be determined. Fans and analysts will monitor team communications in the coming days for clarification on how the squad adjusts its strategy without its intended leader.
For continued updates on João Almeida’s recovery and future racing schedule, readers are encouraged to follow official channels from UAE Team Emirates XRG and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
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