Joao Almeida is one of the few candidates already confirmed for the 2022 Giro d'Italia, but the Portuguese rider has expressed disappointment that the time trial route will be only 26 km, the lowest number in the past 60 years.

RCS Sport announced this week the route for the 2022 Giro over four days, but the time trial mileage was immediately apparent. There are two time trials on the course, a 9.2 km second stage in Budapest and a 17.1 km final stage to Verona.

"With few time trial kilometers, the mountain stages will be decisive," Almeida told the Portuguese newspaper Publico (opens in new tab).

"The first time trial in Hungary is 9 km and the other one is only 17 km. So the climbs are more important. For me, having these two time trial stages is not a big advantage.

Almeida will join UAE Team Emirates in 2022 after spending the first two seasons of his pro career with Deceuninck-QuickStep. In the 2021 Giro, he supported Lemko Evenpoel in the early stages, but a strong final week saw him arrive in Milan in sixth place overall.

Next May, the Giro will return again to Mount Etna, where Almeida first wore the pink jersey in 2020. The volcano is the site of the race's first summit finish on stage 4, but this time the Giro will follow a different route to Rifugio Sapienza.

"This Etna will be a little harder, but I can't wait to get back to the Giro and race there again," Almeida said. 'It's going to be a pretty hard Giro, so I have to be in perfect physical condition. I have to be in top condition to be really competitive."

The total climbing distance of the 2022 Giro is approximately 51,000 meters, with tough stages from Mortirolo and Santa Cristina to Aprica in the final week, and a tough Dolomite test through the Ponte San Pellegrino and Pordoi on the final day before a summit finish at the Ponte di Fedaia awaits.

Almeida and two-time winner Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Cazacustan) are among the few candidates who have so far confirmed their participation, and it remains to be seen whether the low kilometer count of the time trial will dissuade the likes of Evenpoel from entering the Giro. It remains to be seen.

"There are not many confirmed riders at the moment, but I have to concentrate on myself," said Almeida, while Tadej Pogachar, who joined UAE Team Emirates, is expected to focus on the Tour de France again.