UAE Team Emirates sign promising duo

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UAE Team Emirates sign promising duo
Budding young cyclists took part in bespoke indoor cycling clinics.

Dubai - Pogacar and Covi set to join team

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Published: Mon 3 Sep 2018, 8:55 PM

Last updated: Mon 3 Sep 2018, 10:57 PM

Following the success of its summer Youth Academy, in which over 180 budding young cyclists took part in bespoke indoor cycling clinics, UAE Team Emirates has continued to show its commitment to developing the sport in the UAE by hosting a development workshop in Mende, France, with members of Abu Dhabi Cycling Club.
Following the camp, UAE Team Emirates announced the signing of two of cycling's most promising young talents after reaching agreements with Slovenian Tadej Pogacar and Italian Alessandro Covi.
After a remarkable start to the year, Pogacar will join UAE Team Emirates for the 2019 season and make his UCI World Tour debut. A useful all-rounder, Pogacar possesses considerable agility on the climbs, with strong power that makes him efficient on flat terrain and in sprints. The young Slovenian boasts an impressive 2018 portfolio including a General Classification (GC) win at the Tour de l'Avenir - a race which has produced five Tour de France winners. He also holds Under23 National Titles in time trial and road racing, a GC win at the Grand Prix Priessnitz and fourth place in the GC at the Tour of Slovenia - a race in which he captured the title of best young rider in 2017.
Covi, who won the sixth stage of the recent Tour de l'Avenir, has impressed in his two-year stint in the Under23 class and showed enormous potential, making him one of the most sought after prospects in Italian cycling. He joined UAE Team Emirates as a trainee in August and will ride for Team Colpack in 2019, with the view to joining the UAE Team Emirates pro-ranks in the near future.
As guests of UAE Team Emirates' President, Matar Suhail Al Yabhouni Al Dhaheri, who is also vice chairman of Abu Dhabi Cycling Club, and over 20 riders and staff met manager, Mauro Gianetti to discuss all things cycling, in particular the development of the sport and riders in the emirates. Gianetti, a former pro-rider whose honours include Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Amstel Gold Race and a silver medallist at the Road Race World Championships, gave the riders advice on the growth of cycling, how to encourage more people to take up the sport and build on the success the club has already seen since its inception in 2017.
Commenting on the partnership, Gianetti said: "It's always amazing to meet young cyclists so hungry for knowledge about cycling. The Abu Dhabi Cycling Club is very well organized and we pay a lot of attention to the new talent coming from the UAE. It's important we work closely with them to develop riders and that they look at us as the ultimate goal."
A mixture of male and female cyclists, who were in the south of France as part of a 24-day training camp and rode a total of 1,700km across a variety of terrains and distances, took part in the UAE Team Emirates workshop and were given invaluable guidance and direction that will be put into action here in the UAE.
Reflecting on the workshop, Mohammed K. Al Hammadi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Cycling Club, said: "We are extremely grateful to UAE Team Emirates for giving us the opportunity to learn more about cycling and how we can help take our club and riders to the next level. Cycling is becoming one of the most popular sports in the UAE and we are determined to be one of the driving forces that help it reach its full potential. To have the support of a UCI World Tour team to achieve that is extremely valuable and we look forward to building on our partnership over the coming months."
 


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