UAE Team Emirates Rise to the top

UAE Team Emirates have not always been at the top and it is only in recent years that they have been at the forefront of pro cycling, always there causing trouble and stealing wins.

The Italian team of Lampre - Daikin - Colnago as formed in 1999, they picked up 13 wins in their first season including a stage win at the Tour and the Vuelta. Lampre would remain as the main sponsor until 2017 where the team became known as UAE Team Emirates. The team name did not change until this year where XRG became involved meaning they became known as UAE Team Emirates XRG.

The team was picking up constant wins until 2018 which was a low point. Since the start of 2019 the team has been picking up more and more wins placing them as the best team. In 2023 UAE reached the top of the UCI world rankings after being second the previous year.

The start of their increasing success coincided with the signing of Tadej Pogacar who joined in 2019 picking up 8 wins in his first season. As a whole the team only had 28 wins that season showing just how central Tadej Pogacar was and still is to the team.

While individual riders within the team have their own biggest rivals it is hard to miss that for the team as a whole Visma Lease a bike are the main rival. It doesn't matter what race it is there will always be competition between other teams as well but the yellow jerseys of Visma will always be alongside the white of UAE.

2024 was the most successful year for UAE Team Emirates with 81 wins for the team scored by 20 riders. 24 of those were won by Pogacar with Hirschi and McNulty getting 9 each. While the triple crown of wins picked up by Pogacar may be the biggest achievement by the team Adam Yates picked up GC wins at the Tour of Oman and the Tour de Suisse alongside a win on stage 9 of the Vuelta.

There is a mix of talent in the team with new young talent including Isaac Del Toro and Juan Ayuso having picked up wins at major tours and making their presence known. Antonio Morgado has also picked up a few wins since joining the team in 2024. Tadej Pogacar is set to remain at the team until the end of the 2030 season with Jan Christen meaning the team will surely be picking up more wins. Pablo Torres who joined the team this year also has a contract to 2030 and despite not having any wins has multiple podiums from his junior career including a second place at the Tour de L'Avenir.

It seems that the team will continue winning races until at least 2030 and will remain as a top team for years to come.