emirates7 - João Almeida and UAE Team Emirates-XRG made an impressive start to the Itzulia Basque Country on Monday, with the Portuguese rider finishing second in the opening individual time trial from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Baskonia-Alavés.
The race in the Basque Country was tightly contested, with the 26-year-old Almeida recording a time of 18:37.82, just under half a second behind stage winner Maximilian Schachmann of Soudal Quick-Step.
The 16.5km course was short, leading to small time gaps among the riders. The route included a brief climb at Arzubiaga, followed by a flat stretch to the finish in Baskonia-Alavés, with riders benefiting from a tailwind for most of the afternoon.
Almeida posted a negative split, accelerating in the second half of the course and nearly overtaking Schachmann for the stage win.
This strong performance sets the Portuguese climber up well for the upcoming mountainous stages, with several challenging climbs ahead as the race continues through Saturday.
In addition to Almeida's excellent result, UAE Team Emirates-XRG had other top finishes with Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, and Marc Soler all placing in the top 20.
The Emirati team entered the Itzulia Basque Country with a talented lineup, including Almeida, Del Toro, Soler, and Großschartner, alongside Igor Arrieta, Brandon McNulty, and Vegard Stake Laengen for the six-day WorldTour race.
The race in the Basque Country was tightly contested, with the 26-year-old Almeida recording a time of 18:37.82, just under half a second behind stage winner Maximilian Schachmann of Soudal Quick-Step.
The 16.5km course was short, leading to small time gaps among the riders. The route included a brief climb at Arzubiaga, followed by a flat stretch to the finish in Baskonia-Alavés, with riders benefiting from a tailwind for most of the afternoon.
Almeida posted a negative split, accelerating in the second half of the course and nearly overtaking Schachmann for the stage win.
This strong performance sets the Portuguese climber up well for the upcoming mountainous stages, with several challenging climbs ahead as the race continues through Saturday.
In addition to Almeida's excellent result, UAE Team Emirates-XRG had other top finishes with Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, and Marc Soler all placing in the top 20.
The Emirati team entered the Itzulia Basque Country with a talented lineup, including Almeida, Del Toro, Soler, and Großschartner, alongside Igor Arrieta, Brandon McNulty, and Vegard Stake Laengen for the six-day WorldTour race.