Almeida expects battle for overall classification to ignite immediately after rest day: "It has been a bit dull for the fans"

Until the fifteenth stage, one could almost forget that João Almeida is also one of the top favorites for the overall victory in the Giro d'Italia. The Portuguese leader of UAE-Team Emirates suddenly emerged from his shell and attempted to attack in the remake of the Tour of Lombardy. Almeida is now in fourth place, closely behind his nearest competitors Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma). IDLProCycling.com joined the online press conference on the final rest day!

"I always say that I will attack if my legs feel good," says Almeida, explaining his acceleration during stage fifteen. "During the race, I felt very strong, so I decided to give it a try. It worked out quite well, I must say."

Almeida: "Of course I'm going for the pink jersey"

The 24-year-old Almeida believes that his team is performing strongly in the Giro. UAE has already claimed two stage victories with Pascal Ackermann and Brandon McNulty. "It's very positive that we have already won two stages, and it immediately improves the atmosphere within the team. Everything becomes a bit easier. That's nice, especially because the third week is going to be extremely tough."

Almeida does express his ambitions for the grueling final week, but he still remains cautious at the same time. It seems that the Portuguese rider understands the severity of the upcoming challenges. "I actually feel quite normal. Of course, I'm aiming for the pink jersey, but I'll be satisfied with a podium finish. Maybe I've improved a bit when it comes to climbing, so that's a good sign. I hope I will be able to capitalize on that. All the favorites are close to one another, but I still expect that we will start the uphill time trial with bigger time gaps."

Almeida sees Roglic and Thomas racing defensively

"The battle for the overall classification will likely start immediately after the rest day," says Almeida, the former winner of the Tour de Pologne. "It's a rather specific stage. We won't be reaching high altitudes, but there will still be a lot of climbing. The past few weeks have been somewhat dull for the fans, although it has already been quite demanding for us. It would be nice if the sun would shine more often. Hopefully, everyone stays in the race now because there have already been enough withdrawals due to COVID-19 and crashes."

The Portuguese champion believes that Thomas and Roglic are still keeping their cards cleverly hidden. "Primoz has been very patient, while Geraint has been riding defensively. I expected Primoz to attack earlier on. Maybe he's still recovering from his crash because normally he is an offensive rider. Nevertheless, both Geraint and Primoz make a strong impression on me, as well as Damiano Caruso," Almeida concludes.