With Tadej Pogačar opting to not defend his 2022 title, UAE Group Emirates have chosen Adam Yates as group chief with Brandon McNulty and Jay Vine as different choices for the overall classification.
Yates gained the 2020 UAE Tour forward of Pogačar while driving for Mitchelton-Scott and got here second to the Slovenian within the final two editions of the race. He has lately been coaching at altitude and is making his 2023 season debut in his first race for the group after leaving Ineos Grenadiers and signing a 3 12 months deal in September final 12 months.
“I’m actually excited and motivated to lastly begin racing with the group. UAE Tour is a very nice race to go to and it’s a spot that’s suited me properly prior to now,” Yates mentioned by way of UAE Group Emirates.
Vine, additionally a brand new signing this season, has already claimed the group’s first World Tour victory of the season with the general common classification on the 2023 Tour Down Below, forward of Yates’ twin brother Simon.
Serving to them on the important thing mountain high finishes to Jebel Jais (stage 3) and Jebel Hafeet (stage 7) can be McNulty, Mark Soler, Mikkel Bjerg and Vegard Stake Laengen, with Sebastian Molano their go-to sprinter for the 4 flat phases.
“Yates will make his debut with us and can take the function as chief, although as is our nature as a group we may have totally different choices all through the race because it unfolds,” sports activities supervisor Joxean Matxin Fernandez mentioned.
Yates has carried out persistently on the queen stage to Jebel Hafeet, having gained atop the climb in 2020 and by no means completed exterior the highest three on phases ending there.
With Pogačar not current to seize a hat-trick of UAE Tour victories, they are going to be hoping Yates can begin his season in high type towards the World Champion and favorite for the race, Remco Evenepoel. Different general contenders embrace Sep Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) ands Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious).
Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan), Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), Caleb Ewan (Lotto Dstny), Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) and Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-Alula) will struggle for dash victories.
Evenepoel and Pogačar had been set to battle it out on the UAE Tour earlier than the two-time race winner modified his schedule to start out on the Clásica Jaén Paraíso Inside and Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol.
Pogačar gained each of his first two race days with solo assaults from 36km out in Jaén and 12.5km out on stage 1 of the Ruta del Sol, making it three wins in as many days for UAE Group Emirates after Diego Ulissi gained stage 4 of the Tour of Oman on Tuesday.
