João Almeida withdraws during the ninth stage of the Tour de France

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Caldense cyclist João Almeida (UAE Emirates XRG Sprint) withdrew from the 112th Tour de France today, during the ninth stage, after suffering a fall on Friday in which he fractured a rib. The fourth-placed rider in the Tour2024 retired after 89 kilometres of the 174.1 kilometres between Chinon and Châteauroux, with his withdrawal confirmed by the organisation. On Friday, the 26-year-old Portuguese was involved in a fall just over six kilometers from the end of the 197 between Saint-Malo and the Wall of Brittany, fracturing a rib and suffering “deep” bruises on his body, according to UAE Emirates. This is the third withdrawal of the rider from A-dos-Francos in Grand Tours, after having abandoned the Giro2022 and the Vuelta2024 due to contracting Covid-19. The first Portuguese cyclist to finish in the top 5 of all three Grand Tours, Almeida is already the second-best Portuguese rider ever in these races, behind only Joaquim Agostinho. Third in the 2023 Giro, he made his debut last year in the Tour de France with a fourth place, the same position he occupied in the overall standings of the 2020 Giro, in which he spent 15 days dressed in pink, and in the 2022 Vuelta.

He was ninth in the Spanish race the following year, but it was in the 'corsa rosa' that he achieved more prominent places, as he also finished sixth (tied in time with the fifth-place finisher) in 2021.

The stage was won by Tim Merlier of Soudal Quick-step.

*with Lusa agency

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