Portuguese climber overcomes Vingegaard on La Loge Des Gardes

News | Team – 12th March 2025

Joao Almeida took one of the biggest victories of his career to date, with the 26-year-old climber pushing home to triumph on stage 4 of Paris-Nice from Vichy to La Loge des Gardes(163.4km).

The 7km climb Cat 1 climb served as the perfect battleground for the favourites group, which ignited when Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) launched a stinging attack at -2km to go. Almeida would respond is his typical fashion by ramping up the pace at the front of the heavily reduced group, keeping the distance to the Dane in check at around 10”. Inside the final 400m Almeida would launch from behind, closing the gap to Vingegaard metre by metre before finally making the pass in sight of the line to take the 16th win of the season for UAE Team Emirates-XRG.

The same final climb had previously been kind to the Emirati squad with Tadej Pogačar having taken victory here on his way to winning the yellow jersey in Paris-Nice 2023.

The riders endured a very harsh stage overall, with wet and cold conditions provoking a neutralisation at -46km to go where riders were able to change clothes before the action resumed.

Almeida: ”I’m super happy. It was a hard day. A lot happened in this stage, and we had some snow on the course. But we never gave up. I think we deserved it and I’m very happy for it.

“I was feeling quite good. Of course, to be honest, I’m not the best guy with the cold temperatures. I was suffering with that, but I never gave up. The climb wasn’t steep enough and it was hard to make the group smaller. Jonas attacked and I wasn’t in the best position, but I gave my best and I’m super happy again.

“Yesterday was not our day. We had some setbacks, but yesterday was yesterday, and today was another opportunity. We needed to take the positives from yesterday, like I was feeling really good and did a really good effort. We lose as a team, and we win as a team, and I think we deserve it today.”

“I think we can win the race, but it’s not just up to me, you know? I think my shape is good and I feel good and I’m ready. For sure, I’ll give my best.”

Almeida now sits 5th in the overall standings at 37” from new race leader Vingegaard, who inherits the jersey from his teammate Matteo Jorgenson. Brandon McNulty also put in an impressive ride to finish 7th on the day and holds that position in GC at 58”.

Stage 4 results

1.Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 3:37:06

2.Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) +1”

3.Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) +2”

7.Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +9”

General Classification after stage 4

1.Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-LAB) 11:50:59

2.Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-LAB) +5

3.Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) +33”

5.Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +37”

7.Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +58”