Almeida powers to stage victory at Tour de Suisse as GC battle tightens

UAE Team Emirates -XRG celebrated another major triumph at the Tour de Suisse, with João Almeida storming to an emphatic victory on Stage 7.

The Portuguese all-rounder delivered a measured and powerful ride in the final kilometres, outsprinting Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) and race leader Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) in the closing metres to claim the win after 207 km of racing from Neuhausen am Rheinfall to Emmetten.

Almeida crossed the line in 4:38:25, earning a 10-second time bonus and vital gains in the general classification. He now sits firmly in the top three overall, just 33 seconds behind current race leader Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa–B&B Hotels), who finished third on the stage, having launched his sprint early to surprise his rivals.

Almeida: “It was a hard day, fast all day. My teammates did a perfect job; they were super strong and pulled all day to catch the breakaway. This victory is for them. Every second is important, and we had to do our best.

I don’t think I’m the favourite for overall victory, Vauquelin is also strong in the TT, so it’s going to be tough. But I’m going to give everything I have.”

This win marks Almeida’s 7th victory of the season, and the 47th for the Emirati squad, continuing UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s momentum.

Tour de Suisse stage 7 results

1.Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 4:38:27

2.Oscar Onley (Team Picnic PostNL) s.t

3.Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) s.t

Tour de Suisse GC after stage 7

1..Kevin Vauquelin (Arkea-B&B Hotels) 29:00:55

2.Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +33”

3.Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Cycling) +41”

Meanwhile Filippo Baroncini has seized the violet leader’s jersey at the Baloise Belgium Tour following Stage 4, a 173 km hilly circuit through the Ardennes. While Stage 4 honours went to Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto), Baroncini delivered a strong, consistent performance—picking up bonus seconds and securing enough time to top the general classification by the margin of 4” heading into tomorrow’s final stage.

Baroncini : “I’m very happy with the result today, taking the lead in the GC is a big step. Tomorrow we will go all-in to defend it. All day the pace was high and with two laps to go I found the opportunity to move away in a group of twenty riders which later became four. I was focussed on taking the bonus seconds and also I ended up doing a lot of the work as I was the highest in the GC. In the last 2km I pulled all the way to the line so to take the stage also would have been difficult. But it feels nice to be leading and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Baloise Belgium Tour stage 4 results

1.Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto) 4:00:43

2.Marco Frigo (Israel Premier Tech) +5”

3.Orluis Aular (Movistar) s.t

4.Filippo Baroncini (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) s.t

Baloise Belgium Tour GC post stage 4

1.Filippo Baroncini (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 12:42:29

2.Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick Step) +4”

3Jenno Berckmoes (Lotto) +7”