On Tuesday, in the Giro d'Italia, João Almeida won his first ever stage in a Grand Tour. The Portuguese rider of UAE Team Emirates defeated Geraint Thomas in the sprint. In the overall classification, Almeida moved up to second place.
"I am super happy. It's a dream come true," Almeida joyfully said in the flash interview. "I had been close to victory quite a few times in the past four years, yet simultaneously it was always still far away. I can't describe how happy I am."
"My team was great, as always. Towards the end, I decided to go for it," Almeida said. "It was a very tough day, the toughest so far. It was constantly up and down. I felt good, so I took the risk. If you never try, you'll never know."
"And in the end, I succeeded," Almeida continues. "I am very grateful to the team, and also to my family. They support me and believe in me. It's very special." The victory certainly leaves a taste for more. "If I feel good, I will definitely attack. I will fight until the end and give everything," Almeida concludes.
"It was quite a steep final climb, with gradients around nine to ten percent," Almeida says during the press conference, reflecting back on the race. "I rode as hard as I could. I was a bit surprised by Thomas, who came charging like a rocket. After that, I was suffering until the finish."
The victory has given Almeida a confidence boost. "I am still the same rider, but with more confidence. I believe I can win the Giro, but it won't be easy with Roglic and Thomas," Almeida concludes.