João Almeida Takes Stage 13 at Vuelta a España on Angliru

PRAVIA, Spain — João Almeida delivered a stunning performance on Friday, winning Stage 13 of the Vuelta a España by surpassing race leader Jonas Vingegaard on the treacherous Angliru climb. This marked Almeida’s first stage victory in the Vuelta and helped him tighten the gap on Vingegaard in the general classification.

The fierce Stage 13 featured the Angliru, a brutal ascent known for its steep gradients, measuring 12.4 kilometers at an average gradient of 9.8%. Almeida and Vingegaard broke away from the other contenders with four kilometers to go, establishing a 30-second lead over Jai Hindley.

In the final stretch, Almeida initiated a sprint that Vingegaard could not match. His victory preserves Almeida’s second place in the overall standings, only 46 seconds behind Vingegaard, who retains the red jersey. Almeida praised his team’s support and expressed relief at conquering what he called ‘the hardest climb in the world.’

“I just rode at my own pace and did the best I could,” Almeida said after the race. “The last kilometer was difficult, and I was prepared for Jonas to attack. But after the last corner, it’s hard to come around.”

Almeida’s performance highlighted UAE Team Emirates‘ dominance, who have secured six stage wins thus far in the race. The team’s strategy came to fruition as Almeida focused on pacing himself and ensuring he had enough energy to take the lead at the crucial moment.

Meanwhile, Tom Pidcock of team Q36.5 Pro Cycling held onto third place overall, finishing seventh in the stage. He is currently 2 minutes and 18 seconds behind the leader.

As the race continued, further developments were overshadowed by protests from pro-Palestinian activists, who temporarily halted the race earlier on the Angliru. Despite the disruptions, the race schedule will proceed to Stage 14, which promises even more challenging climbs in the mountains.

“I am just glad to have finished today,” Almeida added, acknowledging the challenges posed by the Angliru. “It’s crazy, and I’m looking forward to the next stages.”