Almeida set to lead UAE Team Emirates’ charge at Giro de Italia
Leading the hopes in the General Classification will be Portuguese talent Almeida while Gaviria will lead the line in the sprints
UAE Team Emirates have unveiled the team heading into the Giro d’italia May 6-29 with an exciting squad starting the race which begins from the city of Budapest, Hungary before crossing over to Sicily to begin the racing in Italy.
Leading the hopes in the General Classification will be Portuguese talent Joao Almeida while Fernando Gaviria will lead the line in the sprints. The line-up also packs multiple previous stage winners with Formolo, Gaviria, Richeze and Ulissi all registering victories in the past.
Almeida previously enjoyed a stint in the famous maglia rosa in 2020, finishing 4th on GC that year and 6th overall in 2021.
Team Manager Joxean Matxin Fernandez (Spa) will lead the squad alongside Sports Directors Fabio Baldato (Ita), and Marco Marcato (Ita) with Marco Marzano (Ita) joining for some stages. The team is comprised of 8 riders:
“As the start line of Stage 1 for the 2022 Giro D’italia draws ever closer, the excitement and anticipation in the UAE Team Emirates Camp is ramping up by the day. A 3,445km await my teammates and me across 21 stages, ranging from Time Trials, flat stages, and mountainous stages that are as challenging as anywhere else in the world.,” said Almeida.
“The Giro D’italia is one of the three Grand Tours – alongside the Tour De France and Vuelta Espana – so for a cyclist it’s a very prestigious event. The calibre of rider at this race is of the highest standard. World class riders earmark this event as their most important on the calendar each year, so you have to be at the very top of your game to get a good result,” he added.
As we roll into Budapest for the start of the Giro D’italia, the mood in the camp is extremely upbeat and positive. Having spent time as a group in Sierra Nevada training together, our team spirit is very strong, and we feel very confident that we can all contribute to the best possible result for UAE Team Emirates,” he stressed.
“The Giro itself is so special as the Italian people and Italy as a nation are cycling mad. Their passion and enthusiasm really rubs off on the riders and members of the team, further increasing our determination to produce the best result that we possibly can.
Having competed in the last two Giro D’italia’s, it is a race that is incredibly important to me and one that I have thus far performed very well in,” said the skipper.
“The time of year the race falls in seems to suit me, as it allows me to tailor my preparation perfectly and build up to the start line. Back in 2020, I was fortunate enough to be able to wear the Pink Jersey for a few days as the race leader.
“I can still remember the feeling of being on the saddle hearing the crowd chanting my name. It was arguably the most incredible moment I’ve had in cycling, so I am determined to recreate this experience and take a big result for UAE Team Emirates,” apprised the Portuguese rider.
“Heading into this year’s race, I have been able to train hard and prepare for all of the different challenges this Grand Tour event throws at us. Over the last 3 weeks I’ve been training at altitude in Sierra Nevada, Spain. In longer races such as the Giro, altitude training is the most beneficial form of training to ensure I’m in the best physical position to perform to my best across the three weeks,” he informed.
“Ater 2 years without fans in atendance, I am super excited about the opportunity to perform in front of the Italian fans and Cycling world. Despite the race covering 21 stages, I feel there are certain stages that will suit me more than others, so my preparation from a tactical perspective can be just important as physically preparing in trying to achieve numerous stage wins and holding the illustrious Pink jersey,” he hoped.
“Our UAE Team Emirates Sports Directors have spent countless hours analysing different stages. They have an enormous scope of expertise and are able to break down the key points of each stage to ensure we are best prepared.
“We spend time each morning as a team going through Powerpoint presentations prepared by the Directors on the Team Bus with crucial information about each stage. Without such a dedicated and high-quality coaching team and performance staff, there is no chance we would be able to produce the results in the saddle that we have been in recent weeks and months,” he concluded.