“I don’t think I’m ready for the Tour de France”: Tadej Pogačar set to miss out on a star teammate

Tadej Pogacar could face the 2026 Tour de France without one of his key teammates, as João Almeida has expressed doubts about being ready for the race. Almeida, who rides for UAE Emirates XRG, said he does not currently believe he is prepared to compete in the Tour because several details still need refining to meet the demands of cycling’s biggest race. He described the Tour as extremely demanding and suggested that more work is needed before he can return to that level.

The Portuguese rider’s comments are a setback for Pogacar, who often benefits from strong support in the mountains and during crucial stages. While Pogacar is capable of dealing with difficult situations on his own, Almeida’s absence would reduce the depth of his team and potentially leave him with fewer options against major rivals.

Almeida’s 2026 season has already been complicated by health problems. After a strong 2025 campaign that included victories at the Tour of the Basque Country, Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse, he was forced to withdraw from the Giro d’Italia because of a virus. He later explained that he had finally recovered, but said doctors were never able to identify exactly what caused the issue. According to Almeida, his test results showed several abnormal values, though the root cause remained unclear.

Despite that difficult start to the year, Almeida is set to race the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes from June 7 to 14, the event formerly known as the Critérium du Dauphiné. He said he will not be under pressure to lead the team there, as that responsibility will fall to Isaac del Toro. Instead, Almeida plans to use the race to support his teammates, assess his condition and continue building toward competition.

The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will serve as an important preparation race for several riders targeting the Tour de France. For Almeida, it is also a chance to judge whether his form is improving enough to consider a return to the sport’s biggest stage. His own words suggest caution rather than certainty, and that uncertainty could matter significantly for UAE Emirates XRG.

The 2026 Tour de France is scheduled to begin on Saturday, July 4 and finish on Sunday, July 26. Pogacar, already a four-time winner of the race with titles in 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025, will be chasing a fifth victory. Whether he does so with Almeida by his side remains one of the key questions for the build-up to the race.