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| Team UAE Emirates | |
|---|---|
| Name | UAE Team Emirates |
| Code | UAD |
| Registered | United Arab Emirates |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Discipline | Road bicycle racing |
| Status | UCI WorldTeam |
| Bicycles | Colnago |
| Website | https://www.uaeteamemirates.com |
Team UAE Emirates
UAE Team Emirates is a UCI WorldTeam professional road cycling squad based in the United Arab Emirates. The team competes in the UCI World Tour and Grand Tours, including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and Vuelta a España. Backed by Emirati stakeholders, the roster has featured leaders in Grand Tour general classification and one-day classics, and the squad maintains development ties across Europe and the Middle East.
Formed from the merger of previous professional structures, the outfit traces lineage to teams like Lampre–Merida, Miche–Guerciotti, and Vini Fantini–Nippo through managerial and sponsorship changes. In its modern guise established in the late 2010s, the team secured high-profile signings from squads such as Team Sky, Movistar Team, and BMC Racing Team, elevating its status on the UCI WorldTour. Early successes included stage wins at the Giro d'Italia and leadership jerseys at the Tour de France, while the organization expanded racing programs across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Key moments involved transfers and contract renewals tied to riders who had previously ridden for Team Ineos, Quick-Step Floors, Bahrain–McLaren, and Astana–Premier Tech.
The roster has combined Grand Tour contenders, classics specialists, time trialists, and sprinters drawn from national teams like Italy national cycling team, France national cycling team, Slovenia national cycling team, and Spain national cycling team. Notable riders who have worn the kit include Grand Tour winners and stage specialists formerly of Team Jumbo–Visma, Deceuninck–QuickStep, EF Education–EasyPost, Bora–Hansgrohe, and Groupama–FDJ. The squad also integrates neo-pros developed through Continental outfits such as Team Novo Nordisk and Caja Rural–Seguros RGA.
The team claimed general classification titles, Grand Tour stage wins, and one-day classic podiums at events including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, Vuelta a España, Il Lombardia, Milan–San Remo, and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Time trial victories came at races like the UEC European Road Championships and UCI Road World Championships events. Successes also extended to stage races such as Paris–Nice, Tirreno–Adriatico, Tour de Suisse, Critérium du Dauphiné, and Volta a Catalunya, with key performances in the UCI World Ranking and UCI Europe Tour classifications.
The management team has included general managers and sporting directors with pedigrees at Team Sky, Montpellier HSC (cycling crossover roles), BMC Racing Team, and Liquigas–Cannondale. Sporting directors have directed race strategies at monuments alongside directeur sportifs experienced from Team Katusha–Alpecin, Euskaltel–Euskadi, and Cofidis. Support staff incorporates soigneurs, coaches, and performance analysts previously employed by national federations such as the UAE Cycling Federation, Federazione Ciclistica Italiana, Royal Belgian Cycling League, and Spanish Cycling Federation.
Primary sponsorship has been provided by Emirati investment groups and state-linked organizations, with co-sponsors from global brands and suppliers like Colnago for frames, Campagnolo or Shimano for drivetrain components, and Sidi for footwear. Technical partnerships have included helmet manufacturers such as MET and Giro, clothing from Castelli or Santini, and wheelsets by Fulcrum or Mavic. Commercial relationships follow precedents set by teams like Team Sky and Deceuninck–QuickStep in combining national investment with multinational suppliers.
The organization runs development pathways through Continental and U23 teams, collaborating with clubs and academies in Italy, Spain, France, Slovenia, and the United Arab Emirates. Talent identification projects have linked to events such as the UCI Track Cycling World Championships feeder programs, national championships, and under-23 races like the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia and Giro della Valle d'Aosta. Partnerships with development teams mirror models used by Jumbo–Visma Development Team and Caja Rural–Seguros RGA to promote riders into WorldTour competition.
Like many WorldTour teams, the squad has faced scrutiny over transfers, contract disputes, and high-profile incidents that drew attention in outlets covering controversies at UCI-level investigations and national anti-doping agencies including the UAE National Anti-Doping Committee and agencies in Italy and France. Doping allegations and disciplinary cases in professional cycling historically involved riders and staff linked to teams such as Astana–Premier Tech and Bahrain Victorious, prompting reforms by WADA and the UCI that affected team protocols. The team has publicly cooperated with regulatory bodies and implemented internal controls aligned with the Movement for Credible Cycling and broader sport-wide anti-doping initiatives.
Category:Cycling teams based in the United Arab Emirates Category:UCI WorldTeams