A staggering eight different riders finished in the top
three of a WorldTour stage race general classification: Isaac del Toro, Juan
Ayuso, Tadej Pogacar,
Adam Yates,
João Almeida, Brandon McNulty, Diego Ulissi,
and Tim Wellens. This level of consistency and depth cemented their place as
the most dominant team in professional cycling.
So, with 2025 well underway, the question is: Can UAE Team
Emirates – XRG match or even surpass their historic 2024 season?
2025 so far
If the early season results are any indication, UAE Team
Emirates remain the team to beat. As of mid-March, they have already amassed 16
victories, scored 4,852.1 UCI points, and comfortably sit atop the UCI team
rankings.
Their nearest competitor, the fast starting XDS Astana Team,
trails by nearly 2,000 points (3,129.7 UCI points), while Red Bull – BORA –
hansgrohe is over 3,000 points adrift. Even their supposed biggest rival, Team
Visma | Lease a Bike, has struggled to pick up points initially, currently
languishing in 17th place with just 1,237 points.
Battered and bruised, Tadej Pogacar still won Strade Bianche
The scale of UAE Team Emirates’ dominance is highlighted by
their high-profile victories. Tadej Pogacar has already claimed two major wins,
taking the UAE Tour and Strade Bianche, where Tim Wellens also finished third.
Meanwhile, new signing Jhonatan Narváez has immediately paid dividends,
securing victory at the Tour Down Under, while Adam Yates emerged victorious at
the Tour of Oman.
Considering that the team is still in the early months of
the season, these results suggest that UAE Team Emirates are on track for
another exceptional year, potentially even surpassing their 2024 campaign.
And they’re by no means just ‘Team Pogacar.’
While Tadej Pogacar remains the undisputed leader and the
face of UAE Team Emirates, and cycling as a whole, the team’s strength extends
far beyond one rider. The key to their success last year was their remarkable
depth, and that trend seems to be continuing in 2025.
In 2024, UAE had eight different riders secure podium
finishes in WorldTour stage races, a staggering show of their all-round
strength. That depth is once again proving vital in 2025, with multiple riders
already securing major victories and podiums.
The likes of João Almeida,
Juan Ayuso, Adam Yates, and
Brandon McNulty provide UAE with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to
general classification contenders. Even though Tadej Pogacar may not be
defending his pink jersey at the Giro in May, UAE will still be one of the
favourites with Ayuso and Yates going for glory.
Ayuso in particular has started 2025 in impressive fashion,
after a hit and miss 2024. Could his time in the spotlight finally come in
Italy in May?
Moreover, the addition of Jhonatan Narváez has already
proven to be a masterstroke. The Ecuadorian’s win at the Tour Down Under
demonstrated his ability to step up and deliver when required, and he will
provide a new dimension to the team’s strategy in the grand tours. Remember,
Narvaez was the man that denied Pogacar winning the pink jersey on the opening
stage of last year’s Giro, he won’t be standing in the Slovenian’s way this
year!
Can anyone challenge UAE?
So far, no team has been able to mount a serious challenge
to UAE Team Emirates. XDS Astana has had a strong start, but with a 2,000-point
gap already, they will struggle to keep pace and their battle is definitely not
with UAE.
Perhaps the biggest surprise has been Team Visma | Lease a
Bike’s underwhelming start to the year. Expected to be UAE’s main rival, they
currently sit in 17th place with just 1,237 points, more than 3,600 points
behind UAE Team Emirates. While Visma still has time to turn things around,
their current form suggests they are nowhere near UAE’s level in terms of all
round strength.
That’s not to say that Jonas Vingegaard cannot beat Tadej
Pogacar at the Tour de France. But in terms of the all round team performance,
UAE still has a huge advantage. Unless a major shift occurs, it appears that
UAE Team Emirates will once again dictate the pace of the season, much like
they did in 2024.
What’s next?
With the Spring Classics in full swing and Grand Tours
approaching, UAE’s goal will be to sustain this early season momentum. Pogacar’s
upcoming schedule will be key, his performances in the Tour of Flanders,
Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and ultimately the Tour de France will define the year
once again. But can he finally pick up a win at Milano-Sanremo…
Beyond Pogacar, expect UAE to continue their multi-pronged
approach, with Ayuso, Almeida, Yates, and McNulty set to play key roles once
again. If UAE can maintain their form across the three week races as they did
in 2024, it will be hard for any team to challenge them in the overall
rankings.
The only thing missing from UAE’s collection last year was
the Vuelta a Espana title. And, who knows, Joao Almeida may have seriously
challenged for that crown had he not fallen ill, and he may want another chance
at GC glory later this summer. That is unless a certain Slovenian decides he
wants to complete his grand tour collection.
The early evidence suggests UAE Team Emirates – XRG are not
only replicating their 2024 level but could even surpass it. With a commanding
lead in the UCI rankings, multiple victories already secured, and their key
riders in top form, the team is once again setting the standard in professional
cycling.
Unless their rivals can mount a serious fightback, UAE Team
Emirates seem destined for yet another incredible season, perhaps one that even
outshines their legendary 2024 campaign.