João Almeida finished for the first time outside the top 10 of a Grand Tour, having crossed the finish line 3 hours and 30 minutes behind the winner, identified in the title as Mas. The Portuguese cyclist was unable to find his best form during the competition.
Almeida, who is one of the main names in Portuguese cycling, faced significant difficulties throughout the race, resulting in this his worst classification in a Grand Tour. The time difference from the leader shows a performance far below what was expected for the 25-year-old rider.
This performance represents a significant break in the trajectory of the Portuguese rider, who usually competes among the best classified in the three-week races on the world calendar. The lack of form affected his performance throughout the entire competition.
