Going into Stage 18, Almeida was 1:54 behind overall leader Richard Carapaz of Ecuador. However, the 23-year-old is considered a strong time trialist and would have had chances of a podium finish in the final battle against the clock on Sunday in Verona. With Almeida eliminated, Emanuel Buchmann moved up from eighth to seventh place in the standings.
UAE: Only Almeida in the team tested positive
Almeida got flu symptoms overnight and was tested positive by a rapid test, UAE said. All other tests of drivers and team members were therefore negative. Almeida, like all other UAE drivers, had a single room.
The 18th stage on Thursday from Borgo Valsugana to Treviso is the last chance for the sprinters. On the 156-kilometer section, there is only a little more than 1,000 meters of altitude difference, and the last 50 kilometers are even downhill.