UAE Team Emirates announce Tadej Pogačar’s Giro d’Italia team

UAE Team Emirates have confirmed their line-up for the upcoming Giro d’Italia, with Tadej Pogačar surrounded by several experienced domestiques and Sebastián Molano targeting the sprint stages.

Unlike in previous years, where UAE Team Emirates have sent a possible plan B to Grand Tours with a second or even third GC candidate, there’s no such spot in this year’s line-up with almost the entire focus based on supporting Pogačar in his debut Giro d’Italia.

The tried and trusted Rafał Majka will shadow the race favourite through the mountains as his sole super domestique but the likes of Adam Yates or João Almeida, who was third in the Giro last year, have all been saved for the Tour de France in July.

Despite a potentially weaker team than some of their rivals, Pogačar is the out-and-out favourite. This would be his third Grand Tour success, with two previous wins in the Tour de France (2020 and 2021).

Pogačar is aiming to become the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win the men’s Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in the same season.

Read more: Giro d’Italia 2024: Essential race preview

“The preparation for the Giro has gone really well. I haven’t raced too much so far this year, just 10 days, so I’m feeling fresh and ready to take on my first Giro. It’s a race I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time and it feels like now that the time is right to go for it,” the Slovenian said in a press release issued by his squad on Tuesday morning.

“I raced in Italy a lot as an amateur and it has been an important country in my journey as a cyclist. For sure it is one of my favourite places to ride a bike and I also love the culture and of course the food. I hope we can make this month a special one. Obviously my aim is to go for the GC and we also have Molano for the sprints and a very solid team in general. We can’t wait to get it started.”

Vegard Stake Laengen, who has raced every Tour de France alongside Pogačar since 2020 also gets the nod, along with Felix Großschartner, Domen Novak, Rui Oliveira, Majka and Molano.

For everything you need to know about the 2024 Giro d'Italia, from the history of the race to this year's route and start list, be sure to check out our dedicated race hub.