Joao started racing at the age of six in Portugal. While in Portugal he won one national road championships and several regional and district championships. At the age of 12 Joao moved with his family to New York and quickly progressed through the ranks in the United States becoming a category 2 at the age of 16 and a category 1 rider at the age of 18 his second year as a Junior eventually turning professional in Europe at the age of 20 for the Portuguese team Troiamariscos. Joao was a member of 4 world championship teams representing Portugal and part of the long team for the 1996 Olympic Games. Joao left competetive cycling at the end of 1996 to focus on his studies at Fordham University and has come back to competition to help develop the Under-25 Sakonnet Technologies Team.