“After this race, we’re going to Sierra Nevada for an altitude camp to fine-tune all the work. Obviously, Jonas [Vingegaard] is quite strong and it will be difficult to beat him, but we’ll try our best,” declared the Briton.
João Almeida is working on his time trial in Spain and will then head to altitude in Sierra Nevada
At 33, Adam Yates is expected to take on direct support duties for João Almeida, reviving a partnership that bore much fruit at the Tour de Suisse and the 2024 Tour de France, in the clash with the Dane who surpassed the Portuguese at the 2025 Vuelta a España. Choosing the Gran Camiño as a preparatory step fits into the strategy outlined for what he considers the main competitive goal of the season, which has been somewhat below expectations, standing out only with 2nd place at the Muscat Classic and 3rd overall at the Tour of Oman.
“There aren’t that many stage races at this time that are similar to what we do at the [Critérium du] Dauphiné and the Tour de Suisse. So, in December, when we set the calendar, we realized this was the ideal race to fit into that slot before the Giro, and here I am,” he explained.
Simon Yates enjoying life outside of cycling
A central figure in the fifth edition of the Gran Camiño, an event that this year features a peloton with fewer big names and a strong Portuguese presence, the third-place finisher at the 2023 Tour de France also addressed the situation of his twin brother, Simon Yates, a Giro d’Italia winner who decided to call time on his career at the start of the current season.
“I talk to him every day. We’re super close. He’s enjoying life and things he couldn’t do when he was a cyclist. When I go home, we go for a bike ride. It’s a new way of life for him,” he emphasized, clearly dismissing any intention of following the same path in the near future. “I can continue for another five or six years.”