João Almeida's nightmare 2026 continues with Tour de Pologne withdrawal ahead of Vuelta a España
CyclingFriday, 07 August 2026 at 17:51
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Follow us on GoogleJoão Almeida has abandoned the Tour de Pologne. The Portuguese rider from UAE Team Emirates-XRG will not start stage 5, which takes the peloton from Opole to Kocierz Resort on Friday over 218.9 kilometres. Almeida was caught up in the mass crash during Thursday's stage 4 and is suffering too much from his injuries to continue his race in Poland.
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UAE Team Emirates-XRG were without doubt one of the teams hardest hit when things went wrong during stage 4 of the Tour de Pologne. On the wet roads, almost the entire team hit the deck, with Juan Sebastián Molano and Benoît Cosnefroy unable to reach the finish. Almeida did make it to the line, although he finished 16 minutes down and was fifth from last.
After a night's sleep, the decision was made not to send Almeida to the start of stage 5. No fractures were found in the Portuguese climber, nor in Molano or Cosnefroy. "No fractures and all three guys will now head home to rest up for their races to come," UAE said at the start of Stage 5.
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Almeida's disastrous 2026 continues
For Almeida, the Vuelta a España is in principle still on the programme later this month. The race is supposed to provide a chance to salvage something from what has otherwise been a disastrous 2026. The climber actually began the season strongly, finishing second at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana before taking third place at the Volta ao Algarve.
Illness then forced him to miss Paris-Nice, and although he did line up at the Volta a Catalunya, it quickly became clear that the virus had taken a significant toll on him. Almeida completed the race in Catalunya, but subsequent tests showed that his body needed rest. As a result, the Giro d'Italia was taken off his programme.
Almeida returned to racing at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, but it soon became apparent that he was still a long way from the form required to compete at the Tour de France. His name was therefore also crossed off the list for the Tour. A training block was then supposed to prepare him for the Vuelta, with the Tour de Pologne providing a welcome opportunity to regain some racing rhythm. But things have now gone wrong there as well.
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- Hate to break your clickbait bubble of a headline, but unless an accident (or a landslide) intervenes, Tadej will be so far ahead of his closest 'competitor' prior to the flag drop for stage 20, he'll likely be coasting to the finish line, saving his energy for the Worlds. But if he decides to take on the climbs, for the utterchallenge, then he'll do so at the head of the pack, as far ahead as he wants to be.rjb07-08-2026
- 45:49? Good for you! ...and Pogi just around 3 minutes faster, 42 minutes something? Even better for you... because his personal Krvavec best is 31 something ;)FauDrei06-08-2026
- I appreciate the need for rigorous drug testing, especially given the sports' abusive and extensive history with banned substances. But, and allowing for the fact that I'm not knowledgable about sophisticated drug use and masking, and how illegal substances might be employed, and mindful of the statement that publicly testing cycling's two greatest stars sends the loudest possible message to team directors, sponsors, and riders, I'm not convinced that it was necessary, or fair, to wake Jonas at 2AM, while allowing three extra hours of sleep to Tadej, and no testing at all for their closest competitors during cycling's most important race. If such testing is thoiught to be necessary, than administer the tests to ALL top competitors, at the same exact time, and that time should be around 5AM, not 2AM. Testing is important, but not more so than the health and safety of the riders.rjb03-08-2026
- Winng by Losing, Pogi gives back while paying it forward.. Chapeau!rjb02-08-2026
- I suggest that the contract discussions have been put off not because Del Toro and his representitives expect UAE to sign Seixas, which I consider highly unlikely, but rather because he and his reps don't want to set a ceiling on a new contract until they see the size and length of Seixas' deal. That, or so it seems to me, is the actual reason for Del Toro putting off talks on an extension. Because the idea that Seixas would sign with a team that already has three young world-class GC contenders, including the G.O.A.T., seems far-fetched, if not completely ludicrous.rjb31-07-2026
- No disrespect toward Jonas, but his problem, vis-a-vis Tadej, may not be solvable. Tadej didn't only excell in explosiveness, he also demolished Jonas on a crucial descent. And, lest we forget, Pogi didn't have any trouble winning both the Giro and the Tour last year. Moreover, his explanation regarding poor planning by the Visma team, also strikes me as questionable, given all the experience and expertise in the Visma group. Again, no disrespect toward Jonas, a valid champion and a fine human being.rjb31-07-2026
- The headline mentions a 'menstruation debate,' but the article doesn't mention the debate or even what the issue is. The writer and the editor need to do better.rjb29-07-2026
- - Vamos Tadej! Poetry on wheels. C’est magnifique, bravo campione!robert6528-07-2026
- - Merckx saying no competition feels off—what about Vingegaard in full form, and Roglic on the Giro/Vuelta blocks? There’s competition, just inconsistent due to crashes and form peaks. Still, Tadej is the most versatile since Indurain.breakawaybikerd28-07-2026
- - So Pogacar has five Tours already, but why is that a bigger deal than, say, winning the World Championships? Are the Grand Tours ranked differently?samanthak28-07-2026
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