Joao Almeida Triumphs on Vuelta’s Queen Stage, Overtaking Jonas Vingegaard for the Lead This title captures the key points of the article while being engaging and informative. It highlights Joao Almeida’s victory on the queen stage of the Vuelta, his asc

Published5. September 2025, 18:38

Tour of Spain: Almeida wins the queen stage of the Vuelta in front of Vingegaard

The Portuguese won Friday at the Angliru top. The Danish, second, retains his red leading jersey.

The joy of Joao Almeida on the podium, Friday at the top of the Angliru.

AFP

The Portuguese Joao Almeida (UAE) won the 13th stage of the Tour of Spain at the top of the Angliru where the Danish Jonas Vingegaard, 2nd in his wheel, kept the red leading jersey at the end of a day again disturbed by a Propalentinian demonstration.

Almeida, second in the general classification, won before the leader of the Visma-Lease A Bike team, while the Australian Jai Hindley took third place.

The Portuguese thus brings a sixth success in thirteen stages to the UAE team, confirming that he is indeed the main competitor of Vingegaard for the final victory.

“I was at the limit, I think we were both,” said Almeida. “I was ready for what he attacks me at any time, I thought he was going to surpass myself before arrival, but I have known the line well since this arrival two years ago. I knew that I had to be first at the last turn, and as it did not pass me, it was good. Angliru is the most difficult climb I have ever done, it’s really crazy. ”

Vingegaard: “I didn’t let it win”

“All day long was very difficult. The team has done extraordinary work to stay in contact with the attackers. Joao deserves his victory. I did not let him win, I was simply unable to pass him in the last turns, “commented for his Vingegaard.

Thanks to the bonuses, the Portuguese returns 46 seconds from Vingegaard. The duel for the final victory is becoming clearer between these two runners. The current third in the general classification, the British Tom Pidcock, is now on more than two minutes from his two competitors.

Too hard for Pidcock

“It was too hard … these percentages. Angliru is really terrible. I had a good time, but I had to face the facts at mid-Ascension; It was too much for me, “said the runner of the Swiss team Q36.5, 7th in the stage, at the microphone of the organization.

Angliru is an ascent of 12 km to 7% average, with a portion of 6 km to 13% and from passages to 22%. “Hell”, according to several runners.

“At times, we are really causing treading,” said the Austrian Felix Gall, 5th in the stage and the general.

Twenty-five men had taken the lead at the start of the stage, the last of them, the Luxembourgeois Bob Jungels, was swallowed by the duo Almeida/Vingegaard in the last six kilometers.

“We were a little slowed down by a demonstration during the race, but that did not change anything, we knew that we would be taken up by the best,” said Nicolas Vinokourov.

Race still disrupted

The son of Alexandre Vinokourov was among the last survivors of the escape which were forced to place ground on the ground around thirty seconds in the bottom of the final ascent, where Propalestinian activists again disturbed the Vuelta, protesting against the presence of the Israel-Prime Tech training.

Without common measure, however, with Wednesday stage, around Bilbao, whose arrival was canceledthe times being taken three kilometers from the line.

On Saturday, the runners will be in high mountains again between Avilés and La Farrapona with nearly 4,000 m of elevation gain over 135 km and a new arrival at the top (16.9 km at 5.9%).

An opportunity that Almeida will want to take to return to Vingegaard.

“Of course I still think of winning the Vuelta,” said the UAE training leader. There is still a lot of time to catch up with Vingegaard, but he looks really phenomenal, it’s going to be difficult, but we’re not going to give up. “

What strategic factors contributed to jonas Vingegaard losing teh red jersey to Joao Almeida on the Queen Stage?

Joao Almeida triumphs on Vuelta’s Queen Stage, Overtaking Jonas Vingegaard for the Lead

The Ascent of Almeida: A Detailed Stage Breakdown

Today’s Queen Stage of the Vuelta a España witnessed a seismic shift in the General Classification (GC) as Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) delivered a stunning performance, seizing the red jersey from Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-lease a Bike). The stage, a brutal climb to the Col du Tourmalet, proved decisive, exposing vulnerabilities in Vingegaard’s form and showcasing Almeida’s burgeoning strength.

here’s a breakdown of how the day unfolded:

Early Breakaway: A large breakaway group of approximately 20 riders established itself early in the stage, gaining a important advantage over the peloton. This group included several riders vying for the mountains classification.

Visma-Lease a Bike Control: Visma-Lease a Bike initially controlled the pace, seemingly content to allow the breakaway to gain time, conserving energy for the final ascent.

The Tourmalet Attack: The decisive move came on the lower slopes of the Col du Tourmalet. Almeida launched a powerful attack, initially joined by a select group of climbers.

Vingegaard’s struggles: Vingegaard, visibly struggling wiht the pace, began to fall back, losing contact with the leading group. This marked a turning point in the race.

Almeida’s Solo victory: Almeida continued to push the pace,eventually dropping his companions and riding solo to a memorable stage victory.

Final GC Standings (as of September 5th, 2025):

1. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)

2. Jonas vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) + 1:34

3. Enric Mas (Movistar Team) + 2:58

4. Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers) + 3:12

5. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) + 3:45

Key Factors in Almeida’s Success

Several factors contributed to Almeida’s remarkable performance and his ascent to the Vuelta lead:

Exceptional Climbing Ability: Almeida has consistently demonstrated strong climbing prowess throughout the Vuelta, positioning himself as a genuine GC contender.

Team Support: UAE Team Emirates provided excellent support, shielding Almeida from the wind and controlling the pace at crucial moments.

Vingegaard’s Condition: speculation surrounds vingegaard’s form, with some suggesting he may not be at 100% following his recovery from a recent crash. His struggles on the Tourmalet raise concerns about his ability to defend his position.

Strategic Racing: almeida’s team executed a well-planned strategy, capitalizing on Vingegaard’s weakness and launching a decisive attack at the opportune moment.

The Impact on the GC Battle

Almeida’s victory and Vingegaard’s struggles have dramatically reshaped the GC battle. The Vuelta is now wide open, with several riders capable of challenging for the overall win.

Enric Mas’s resurgence: Enric Mas (Movistar Team) is now firmly in contention, sitting just over two minutes behind Almeida.

Carlos Rodriguez’s Threat: Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers) remains a hazardous rider, capable of delivering a strong performance in the remaining stages.

Vingegaard’s Response: The coming stages will be crucial for Vingegaard. He will need to demonstrate a significant advancement in form to regain the red jersey. His team will likely adopt a more aggressive strategy to try and close the gap.

Stage Profiles and Upcoming Challenges

The remaining stages of the Vuelta present a variety of challenges:

Individual Time Trial: An individual time trial will test the riders’ strength against the clock, potentially further separating the GC contenders.

Mountain Stages: Several more challenging mountain stages remain,offering opportunities for further attacks and changes in the GC standings.

Sprint Stages: Sprint stages will provide opportunities for sprinters to shine, but will also require the GC contenders to remain vigilant and avoid crashes.

Almeida’s Previous Performances & Career Highlights

Joao Almeida, born in 1998, has quickly established himself as a prominent figure in professional cycling.

2020 Giro d’Italia: He gained prominence during the 2020 Giro d’Italia, wearing the pink jersey for 15 stages.

**Consistent Top-10 Fin