UAE Team Emirates have confirmed the roster that may help Tadej Pogačar for his debut on the upcoming Giro d’Italia.
The eight-man roster includes a break up between these primed to trip within the mountains for the Slovenian’s GC ambitions and a small sprinting core for Juan Sebastián Molano to chase levels.
Pogačar is anticipated to dominate the 21 days of racing from begin to end with the punchy opening stage on Saturday in Turin providing the possibility to hold the maglia rosa proper the way in which via to the conclusion in Rome.
Despite his heavy favorite standing, no rider could make it via a Grand Tour alone so UAE Team Emirates have put collectively a squad with a few of the most loyal domestiques from his younger however illustrious profession.
Rafał Majka, Mikkel Bjerg, Felix Großschartner and Domen Novak will kind the mountain prepare that ought to launch Pogačar on the important thing climbs, whereas Vegard Stake Laengen, Rui Oliveira and Juan Sebastian Molano will each work on the flat to chase breaks and contest the bunch sprints.
“The preparation for the Giro has gone rather well. I haven’t raced an excessive amount of thus far this 12 months, simply 10 days, so I’m feeling recent and able to tackle my first Giro. It’s a race I’ve dreamed of doing for a very long time and it looks like now that the time is correct to go for it,” mentioned Pogačar.
“I raced in Italy loads as an novice and it has been an essential nation in my journey as a bike owner. For positive it’s one in every of my favorite locations to trip a motorcycle and I additionally love the tradition and naturally the meals. I hope we are able to make this month a particular one.
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“Obviously my purpose is to go for the GC and we even have Molano for the sprints and a really stable crew on the whole. We can’t wait to get it began.”
Majka, Bjerg and Stake Laengen have been current all through Pogačar’s first few Grand Tours as key lieutenants on the street however making his first begin at a three-week race with the Slovenian star shall be compatriot Novak.
The 28-year-old joined UAE from Bahrain Victorious in 2023 and has proved an enormous pickup. Throughout each the Volta a Catalunya and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Novak was the strongest domestique at Pogačar’s disposal and can look to hold such from into Italy.
While Molano and Oliveira shall be put to work on the flat, and are definitely succesful, their focus shall be on the six or seven dash alternatives that current themselves on the route.
The Colombian sprinter is but to take a win this season however took three at WorldTour degree in 2023, the most effective of which was in tandem with Oliveira after the Portuguese lead-out man piloted Molano to a stage 12 win eventually 12 months’s Vuelta a España. So count on to see them difficult the likes of Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) within the quick finishes.