The virus has allegedly haunted Almeida throughout the past two months, with the 27-year-old said to not have improved over time and currently still suffering from its effects.
"Unfortunately, I won’t be at the start of the Giro D’Italia next month as planned. Sickness in the past months has affected my preparations too much and has meant I just won’t quite be ready in time, which is a shame as it’s a race I love so much," Almeida wrote in an Instagram post. He confirmed the news, which changes the complete outlook of his season.
"After talking it through with the team, we decided it was best to take a rest period and switch focus to new goals later in the season," he confirms.
After finishing on the podium of the Volta ao Algarve earlier this year, Almeida caught the infection, which forced him to skip Paris-Nice.
His potential duel with Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard in the Giro had otherwise long been anticipated with exitement. Already last year, Almeida rode a strong Vuelta a España, finishing second behind only Jonas Vingegaard, and with Almeida's absence, the question is now whether any rider can challenge Vingegaard to the final win.