New mega disappointment for UAE Team Emirates: "Almeida tests positive for coronavirus"

It was not UAE Team Emirates' day. Isaac del Toro was the team's best-classified man in 19th place, with Adam Yates close behind. However, it was mainly João Almeida that people were worried about. The Portuguese were in excellent shape but lost minutes in the eighth stage of the Vuelta a España.

Almeida found himself at the back of the peloton with about fifteen kilometers to go. It is not strange that Almeida is widely known to ride his own pace. If you see him at the back of the favorites group, it doesn't necessarily mean anything. Even if he drops out, the 26-year-old Portuguese often appears higher in the results than expected. Today was different. Almeida was already in the rear in a nervous phase, with a good-sized peloton still together.

At the beginning of the final climb, it was clear that Almeida would not compete for the stage win. He had to drop out immediately and, in no time, lost almost five minutes on eventual stage winner Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe). According to reports from Eurosport, this is not without reason: Almeida allegedly tested positive for Covid-19. It would be a new blow for the Emirates team after Adam Yates lost time and crashed. Almeida is now 26th in the GC, with Yates in one place behind him. The difference is that with red jersey wearer O'Connor, it is more than nine minutes.

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If Almeida suffers from the coronavirus, whether he can start the ninth stage remains to be seen. If he does, he will face a considerable challenge: the ride to Granada has 4,500 altimeters. The reports have not yet been confirmed, but this story will surely have a follow-up. To be continued...