Post by : Bianca
Haleem
João Almeida ended a strong week at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana by finishing safely inside the peloton on the final day and securing second place overall in the five-day stage race.
Almeida, riding for UAE Team Emirates-XRG, confirmed his podium spot after a consistent performance throughout the week. He also came close to challenging the overall winner, Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, especially on Saturday’s tough hilly stage to Teulada Moraira.
This result is similar to Almeida’s performance in last year’s edition of the race. That podium finish was followed by the best season of his career, where he won major stage races including Itzulia Basque Country, the Tour de Romandie, and the Tour de Suisse.
Starting his 2026 season with another strong showing, Almeida once again proved why he is considered one of the peloton’s most reliable riders for general classification.
On stage five, Almeida tried to put pressure on the race leader with a late acceleration during the crosswinds. UAE Team Emirates-XRG managed to create splits in the peloton, but Evenepoel stayed alert and avoided any danger.
The UAE squad kept the race aggressive from long distance, led by young rider Adrià Pericas, who played a key role in supporting the team.
Pericas, just 19 years old, was promoted from the team’s Gen Z squad to the WorldTour roster during the winter. His early season performances have already shown his potential. At the Trofeo Serra Tramuntana, he spent nearly 70 kilometres in the breakaway and was one of only two riders who could follow Evenepoel when the Belgian attacked strongly to bridge to the front.
At the Volta Valenciana, Pericas worked throughout the week for his teammates before getting a chance to test himself on stage five. The route included the steep Port del Garbí, a 5.1km climb with an average gradient of 7.1%, where he again showed his strength.
With Almeida finishing second overall and the team showing strong depth, UAE Team Emirates-XRG completed the race with a positive start to their 2026 campaign.
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