Diesel Almeida riding for victory now: "Maybe I'm a bit stronger than before"

The dominance of UAE Team Emirates continues in the Tour of Switzerland. While Adam Yates took home the accolades on Thursday, Friday was João Almeida's turn. The Portuguese managed to outpace his teammate in the final uphill kilometer. Yates remains the leader in the overall standings, holding a 27-second advantage over Almeida.

Due to the cancellation of the Nufenenpass, the sixth stage was a brief 43 kilometers. "It was the shortest stage I've ever ridden," said a cheerful Almeida. "It was very explosive. Fortunately, I felt good, and the team was very strong, which allowed us to execute our plan." Their strategy involved maintaining a strong pace toward the final climb, where Jan Christen and Isaac del Toro effectively laid out the red carpet for Yates and Almeida.

Confident Almeida: "Bring on the last two stages"

However, according to the stage winner, Yates set off a bit too briskly on the final climb, which initially prevented Almeida from keeping up with his teammate. "He gained a bit too much of a lead. That's why I initially followed the competition. But I kept feeling better and managed to catch up to Adam. We rode together for a while, and then I crossed the finish line first," Almeida explained, downplaying the notion of a duel between the two teammates.

Almeida, known for setting his own pace, now also finds himself contending for stage victories right until the end. It appears the stage racer has made significant progress over the past month. "I still ride at my own pace, but maybe I'm a bit stronger than before. However, the team was also very strong, so I didn't need to put in any extra effort. Overall, I'm satisfied. Bring on the last two stages," Almeida confidently told Cycling Pro Net.

While Saturday's mountain stage is obviously very important, Almeida is perhaps even more focused on Sunday's climbing time trial. "I'm definitely looking forward to the time trial. The course suits me well. I'll definitely do my best," he stated modestly. The stage victory serves as a boost for Almeida heading into the Tour de France, where UAE will start with a powerhouse team built around Tadej Pogacar. "This victory means a lot. I've worked hard this year. Unfortunately, I started the season with some illness. It took a long time to regain my form. But as we say: those who keep working hard always regain their form. I've done that, and now the victory has come," concluded a contented Almeida.

Yates: "I might have attacked a bit too early"

While Yates managed to just stay ahead of Almeida in the fifth stage, this time, after a strong start, he had to concede to his teammate. "The plan was to go full throttle as a team. You could see yesterday that João was very strong, and he was again today. As for me, I might have attacked a bit too early on the final climb. But I felt good. João eventually caught up with me and managed to break away. The team performed very strongly again. Hopefully, we can do the same tomorrow."

UAE is in a class of its own in the Tour of Switzerland, and this seems unlikely to change over the final weekend. "We knew it was a good stage for us. We're both in good form and can compete for the win. It's great for the team that we're in this position," Yates added. "Hopefully, it will still be the same tomorrow."

The penultimate stage, starting and finishing in Villars-sur-Ollon, is considered the queen stage. Along the way, the riders will face multiple ascents of the Col de la Croix and the climb to Villars-sur-Ollon. "It will be a tough stage," Yates anticipates. "I see it as the queen stage. We start uphill, and then it's all descending and climbing. There's no valley. On Thursday, we could still organize ourselves in the valley, but Saturday will be more difficult."

"I also expect a fast pace from INEOS Grenadiers on the climbs."

Adam Yates

Behind Yates and Almeida, Egan Bernal and Mattias Skjelmose are the first in pursuit. In the standings, they are 1.28 minutes and 2.24 minutes behind, respectively. Yates is not yet counting them out. "Skjelmose was a bit better today. Tomorrow will be cold again, and those conditions suit him better. I also expect a fast pace from INEOS Grenadiers on the climbs. We'll see," Yates concluded his conversation with Cycling Pro Net.