Almeida was confirmed as UAE’s Giro leader while teammates Tadej Pogačar and Isaac del Toro target the Tour de France, with Adam Yates and Jay Vine rounding out the squad. He arrives at the Giro off the back of an eye-catching 2025 season, which included victories at the Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie and Itzulia Basque Country, and a second-place finish behind Vingegaard at the Vuelta a España.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Almeida was clear about his objective: “The goal for the Giro is to win it. I’ll do everything I can to make it happen.”
Reflecting on his close duel with Vingegaard in Spain, he added: “There wasn’t a huge difference between me and Vingegaard at the Vuelta a few months ago. He had ridden the Tour and perhaps wasn’t at his best but neither was I. I’ve improved every year and I feel that the same will happen in 2026.”
Almeida’s prospects are underlined by his strong form and consistency. After a key crash forced him out of his domestique duties in support of Pogačar at the 2025 Tour de France, he now has a clear shot at his own Grand Tour victory next season.
Addressing his evolving role within the team, he said: “I don’t think Tadej really needs me to win a Grand Tour. It’s better to maximise our results and victories if we split. It’s a smarter decision to do it this way.”
Almeida also traced his Giro ambitions back to earlier experiences, emphasising his belief in what he can achieve in Italy: “If I’m going back to the Giro it’s because I think I can win it.”
On his early Giro memories, he added: “2020 was a special year for me. I was young and had a lot to learn and the three weeks of the Giro were a great journey of discovery.”
With rumours that Vingegaard is also poised to enter the Giro in 2026 to complete wins in all three Grand Tours, the stage is set for a thrilling GC clash next spring
