Portuguese cyclist João Almeida, the main domestique for Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar, has extended his contract with the world's best team until the end of 2028, the UAE team announced on Tuesday.
At the age of 27, Almeida, a specialist in both sprinting and climbing, is considered one of the most important cyclists in the world. In 2025, he won the Tour of the Basque Country, Tour de Romandie, and Tour de Suisse.
He also finished second in the Vuelta a España in September behind Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard.
With the UAE team, which he joined in 2022, Almeida serves as Pogacar's key helper, especially on mountain stages. He placed fourth in 2024 in his first participation before being forced to withdraw this year following a crash.
Almeida said in a team statement about his contract extension: "We have achieved a lot together in recent years, but I feel the future will be even better".
