Roglic remains an enigma, even for UAE leaders Almeida and Yates: "Everyone plays their own game"

Almeida, of course, is starting the race in his home country, something that doesn’t happen often for a Portuguese rider like him. "I think this might be the only time, and we’re even passing through my hometown. All my friends and family will be along the route, so I think it’s going to be an amazing experience for me."

The Portuguese rider is eager to take his shot at winning a grand tour for the first time. "But I know it won’t be easy. We’ll take it day by day, and we need to stay in close communication, recognizing that we might also have to endure parts of the race," said Almeida, looking sharp.

"We need to maximize our chances, but there are other strong riders. Primoz Roglic is here as a multiple-time winner, with Aleksandr Vlasov by his side. Sepp Kuss is the defending champion, and the list goes on. It also depends on everyone’s preparation because we’re in for a very hot Vuelta, which will be a factor," Almeida pointed out.

Roglic remains an enigma, even for the two UAE-Team Emirates leaders. "When you talk to him, you can never really figure him out. I think he’ll be ready because otherwise, he wouldn’t be here," said Yates. Almeida added with a smile, sharing an anecdote. "I’ve met him several times during races, and I’d ask him, 'How’s it going?' He’d say something like 'I’m exhausted,' and then he’d go on to win. Everyone plays their own game," the Portuguese rider said with a big grin.

After spending two years riding the Tour de France alongside Pogacar for UAE-Team Emirates, Yates now steps into a co-leader role with Almeida for the Vuelta. The Tour de Suisse showed that they can work well together. "We haven’t had many opportunities to race together, but things clicked really well in Switzerland. The competition here is tougher, so it won’t be as easy. We’re in good form, but so is the whole team. We’re starting with confidence."

"It’s going to be a challenge, but we can rely on our strengths," Yates continues. "Together, we’re stronger, and we need to take full advantage of that. I also think preparation will be key. Some of the guys were able to focus more on specific training, especially with the Tour de France in mind. We’ll see how that plays out as the race goes on."

UAE-Team Emirates also has a strong lineup with riders like Jay Vine, Brandon McNulty, Pavel Sivakov, Marc Soler, and Isaac del Toro. Del Toro, who’s making his grand tour debut, already raced with Yates and Almeida in the Tour de Suisse. "He’ll be racing without much pressure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins a stage. He’s incredibly strong, but this will be a big learning experience for him after his altitude training camps. With this team, we can all count on each other, which we’ll definitely need in this incredibly tough Vuelta."