Tadej Pogacčar no longer targets the UAE Tour but UAE Team Emirates are determined to shine in their ‘home’ stage race next week, naming Adam Yates, Brandon McNulty and Jay Vine as their trio of protected riders.
Yates won the Tour of Oman on his season debut and seems perfect for the often decisive finish atop Jebel Hafeet. McNulty won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana stage race in Spain with a solo attack on the key hilly stage and could gain time on most of his overall rivals in the 12.1 km stage 2 time trial in the UAE Tour.
Vine is making his 2024 season debut after not defending his 2023 Tour Down Under win and spending the winter in Europe but could also do well overall due to his time trial and climbing skills.
Juan Sebastián Molano will combine with trusted leadout man Ivo Oliveira and try to repeat his sprint win from the 2023 UAE Tour. Also in the UAE Team Emirates line-up are trusted domestiques Mikkel Bjerg and Vegard Stake Laengen in case cross winds spark echelons and attacks.
Dangerous rivals for UAE Team Emirates include Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla), Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious), Jan Hirt (Soudal-QuickStep) who impressed at the Tour of Oman, and Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale).
Yates won the UAE Tour in 2020 and was second in 2021, and 2022 and third in 2023.
“The UAE Tour is our home race so we know the spotlight will be on us,” Adam Yates said when UAE Team Emirates named their line-up.
“We spend a lot of time here and we want to put on a good show for our sponsors and the people of UAE. Personally, it’s a race I know very well at this point. I’ve done well here in the past and we aim to do the same this time around.
“Oman was a good tester and obviously we came away with a nice victory there. The goal in UAE will be wins, we have a team strong enough to take victories so that’s what we’ll be aiming for and hope to make everyone proud in the UAE.”
Cyclingnews will have full coverage of the UAE Tour, with stage reports, news and features.
