Joao Almeida has announced his program for 2026. The Portuguese rider will have the freedom next season to pursue his own opportunities at UAE Emirates XRG. This means that, for the first time since 2023, he will not start the Tour de France. Almeida aims for a general classification victory in both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España.
Almeida was the first rider to announce his program at the UAE Emirates XRG media day on Saturday. The Portuguese came out with a full schedule, revealing that he will start seven stage races in 2026.
The UAE Emirates XRG rider will race four stage races leading up to his Giro participation. As in 2025, Almeida will begin with the Tour of Valencia, then head to the Tour of the Algarve. After Algarve, he will ride Paris-Nice and the Tour of Catalonia, before starting his final preparations for the Giro.
It also became clear that Almeida is targeting the Vuelta. To prepare for that race, he will compete in the Tour of Burgos. In June, the Portuguese National Championships are also on the agenda.
João Almeida| Race | Date |
|---|---|
 Volta Comunitat Valenciana | 4 Feb - 8 Feb |
| Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta | 18 Feb - 22 Feb |
 Paris-Nice | 8 Mar - 15 Mar |
| Volta Ciclista a Catalunya | 23 Mar - 29 Mar |
 Giro d'Italia | 9 May - 31 May |
| Vuelta a Burgos | 4 Aug - 8 Aug |
| Vuelta a España | 22 Aug - 13 Sep |
