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João Almeida’s victorious journey over three weeks led to closer ties between the runners’ own families and the media, with media coverage unlike anything seen in national cycling (or since 2013, when Rui Costa became became world champion). It was also this point that made the father of Eurosport on more than one occasion, the father of Rúben Guerreiro, who won the pink jersey, and the mother of the new whooping cough of A-dos-Francos, Ana Patrícia. The conversation starts the conversation and, on the last day of the Giro, there was still a question: was João Almeida on the initial list to participate in the Tour of Italy? “No, I wasn’t. João was not supposed to do the Giro ”, admitted this Sunday, when he went to the area near the goal in Milan to prove what he has not achieved in recent days: give his son a hug.
The three historic weeks of the Giro in which the Portuguese came out of the shadows: João Almeida in fourth place, Rúben Guerreiro with the blue
João Almeida’s fourth place in the standings was already remarkable, for overcoming the best record in the history of a Portuguese in the Giro (fifth place for José Azevedo, in 2001, when he was in ONCE). But that was far from being the only record of the runner Deceuninck Quick-Step in this edition: he far exceeded the two days of Acácio da Silva de rosa in 1989, he surpassed five days in the lead in the Vuelta de Joaquim Agostinho in 1976, he beat Still thus the six accumulated days of Acácio da Silva ahead of a great Tour. More: the A-dos-Francos rider became the first under 23 to lead the Giro for 15 days, ahead of Cannibal Eddy Merckx or Damiano Cunego, and is the third in activity with the most pink days, right behind Nibali and Dumoulin.
What João Almeida rode to get here: from football to ranch, from science to Action Man’s bicycle
“22 years old, first season on the World Tour, rookie on the Grand Tour, four podiums, 11 top 10 in stages, 15 days with the pink shirt. A Giro to remember João Almeida. We are very proud of you “, He summed up the Portuguese team, Deceuninck Quick-Step, which placed the best rider in the Tour of Italy at the fore. And now, what’s next? More much more. Because João Almeida himself does not do less and wants more.
22 years old
First season of the World Tour
Grand Tour Rookie
4 podiums
11 top 10 finals
15 days with the pink shirt
A #Round to remember for @ JooAlmeida98!
We are super proud of you!
Photo: @BeelWout pic.twitter.com/BXFHZkeQQi– Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) October 25, 2020
Until the end, you had to fight and suffer. It has been a tough day, with 15 kilometers at the top. I’m very happy, ”he began by mentioning Deceuninck Quick-Step’s Portuguese, a great revelation from the Giro.
Thank you ???????? You were nice! You and the whole team! This wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t have the entire wolf pack with me! ???? https://t.co/Hmv2m5P7TX
– João Almeida (@ JooAlmeida98) October 22, 2020
“My goal was top 10 and he was already very ambitious. Finishing fourth is a dream. I am very grateful to all my team for what they have done, personal, partners, everything. Even if you always want more and more, 15 days is something impressive and I hope one day to wear the pink jersey again ”, João Almeida said at the end, who finished the time trial in which on Thursday he took fourth place overall in Pello Bilbao position. “I want to continue fighting for the general classification in grand tours. It was a good achievement and now the focus will be on the general and week-long races. It is good to carry the Portuguese flag on a great Tour, and it is impressive to be at the height of José Azevedo, “added the 22-year-old Portuguese, in statements reproduced by the Lusa agency.
Rúben Guerreiro: the mountain leader who learned to ride an “old pastry chef”
President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa congratulated João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep), fourth in the final round of the Volta a Itália, and Ruben Guerreiro (First Education), winner of the mountain classification, for having carried out “two extraordinary performances ”.
In a note published on the website of the Presidency, it is noted that the two cyclists “made history with two extraordinary performances that during the last three weeks have moved all the Portuguese.”
“These records are the best performance of the Portuguese cyclists in the Giro, they have lived up to the history of national cycling, they have honored the name of Portugal and deserve the recognition of the President of the Republic”, you can read in the note .
Prime Minister António Costa also wanted to praise the two Portuguese cyclists. “My congratulations to João Almeida, for the historic result, and to Ruben Guerreiro, for winning the blue jersey. Historic and proud day for Portuguese cycling ”, he wrote on his Twitter account.
According to António Costa, it was with “great emotion” that he accompanied the Portuguese duo in the Giro, a race in which Almeida led the general for 15 days, finishing fourth, and Guerreiro managed to win one of the main classifications, the mountain, an unprecedented feat. for Portuguese cycling, in addition to triumphing in the ninth of 21 stages.
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