UAE announce rock-solid support team for Tadej Pogačar's 5th Tour de France title bid

The week of the Tour de France has begun, and with the announcement of the UAE Team Emirates-XRG roster, it’s off to a great start. The Slovenian world champion is aiming for his fifth overall victory and, despite the team’s personnel issues, will receive rock-solid support in his quest.

Pogacar has already won the Tour de France four times, and the Slovenian is the clear favorite to add a fifth overall victory there in July. To help him achieve that, he’ll have Isaac Del Toro as a rock-solid domestique who, should anything happen to Pogi, is also capable of putting in a strong performance in the general classification himself. Pogacar himself has firmly rejected the idea of serving as a co-leader.

With Felix Grossschartner and Adam Yates, there’s even more support in the high mountains. In addition, Pogacar will be backed by Brandon McNulty, Nils Politt, Tim Wellens, and Florian Vermeersch. This means the Slovenian now has seven teammates who are set to help him secure another overall victory.

"The Tour de France is always the biggest challenge of the season and also the race that motivates us the most," Pogacar said in a press release. "Every year, you line up at the start knowing that anything can happen in three weeks, and that’s what makes it so special. We’ve prepared very well as a team."

"Everyone has worked incredibly hard, and now we're looking forward to finally getting started in Barcelona," said Pogacar, who recently showed that he is in excellent form. "I feel good, I'm looking forward to racing, and I know I have a fantastic group of teammates and staff around me."

The Slovenian also expressed his confidence. “We have a lot of confidence in each other and have built up a lot of experience together over the years. There will be strong competitors, tough stages, and many other unpredictable moments, but we’re ready to give it our all. It’s a privilege to wear these colors in the Tour de France, and we’ll do our best to make ourselves, the team, and the fans proud.”

For Nils Politt and Adam Yates, this selection marks their tenth appearance in the Tour de France. Del Toro, meanwhile, is making his debut after making a huge impression this spring.