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UAE-Team Emirates thread

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Almeida? I thought I’d read he would be doing Tour rather than Giro for 2024?
Only that he would like to do it, but will sit down with team after the season.

I dont see what his place is in the Tour team, if it is given that Pog is going.

Pog definitely wants Yates with him again.

Majka is reliable and has ridden all GTs with Pog, that Pog has done so far in his career. He is still a very good climber.

I think Bjerg, Politt and Laengen are nailed on as the roulers.

Grosschartner was very good in the last Tour. I would select him again, if nothing wrong.

That leaves one spot and I think Soler or Sivakov are way more useful for Pog than Almeida, which I think ultimately decides who goes. Unless Almeida gives up own ambitions and is fully dedicated to help Pog.

Joao had a great season with the program he raced. His best opportunity to win something is just repeating it, unless he just want to focus on the one-week races and ride the Tour as part of the supporting cast.

And someone like Ayuso, who missed a lot of time last season, should try to go all in to win the Vuelta with ideal preparation.

Anyway, just my thoughts on it.

Edit: With the gravel-stage in mind I might pick Hirschi, instead of Soler or Sivakov as the last rider.
 
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Only that he would like to do it, but will sit down with team after the season.

I dont see what his place is in the Tour team, if it is given that Pog is going.

Pog definitely wants Yates with him again.

Majka is reliable and has ridden all GTs with Pog, that Pog has done so far in his career. He is still a very good climber.

I think Bjerg, Politt and Laengen are nailed on as the roulers.

Grosschartner was very good in the last Tour. I would select him again, if nothing wrong.

That leaves one spot and I think Soler or Sivakov are way more useful for Pog than Almeida, which I think ultimately decides who goes. Unless Almeida gives up own ambitions and is fully dedicated to help Pog.

Joao had a great season with the program he raced. His best opportunity to win something is just repeating it, unless he just want to focus on the one-week races and ride the Tour as part of the supporting cast.

And someone like Ayuso, who missed a lot of time last season, should try to go all in to win the Vuelta with ideal preparation.

Anyway, just my thoughts on it.

Edit: With the gravel-stage in mind I might pick Hirschi, instead of Soler or Sivakov as the last rider.
Thanks. Nice summary.
 
Edit: With the gravel-stage in mind I might pick Hirschi, instead of Soler or Sivakov as the last rider.
With Hirschi, Politt, Bjerg and Laengen that may be too many non-climbers. UAE's team for the Tour has always been Pogacar + 4 climbers + 3 rouleurs in recent years. Unlike Jumbo, which has many great classics riders, UAE has probably the most climbing depth in WT, so it seems a waste to make the roster rouleur-heavy and take just 3 climbers to help Pogacar.
 
With Hirschi, Politt, Bjerg and Laengen that may be too many non-climbers. UAE's team for the Tour has always been Pogacar + 4 climbers + 3 rouleurs in recent years. Unlike Jumbo, which has many great classics riders, UAE has probably the most climbing depth in WT, so it seems a waste to make the roster rouleur-heavy and take just 3 climbers to help Pogacar.
I see what you mean but Hirschi is a pretty good climber though. Good to send in a break and the 2000m elevation with 32,5 km gravel suits him. That stage could be decisive and it will likely be chaos. He might get the nod just because of that. Grosschartner, who climbed really well last Tour, and Majka + Yates should be good enough support. If he cant hang on to Vinge, it doesnt really matter anyway.

And Bjerg has climbed well in the Tour on occasions. Both him and Pollit has the engine to survive a couple of climbs. Both proven to be solid and reliable in the GTs.

Laengen is mostly the out and out rouler, who is expected to work on the flat stages.
 
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