“I wouldn’t be surprised…if they [UAE] literally start to think, can we run 1-2-3 at the Tour de France?” @sam_bewley #TDF2024 📺: Peacock
"I wouldn't be surprised if UAE think; can we 1-2-3 at the Tour de France?" - IPT DS Sam Bewley expecting UAE Team Emirates domination
CyclingTuesday, 25 June 2024 at 23:30
Although as Tadej Pogacar proved at the Giro d'Italia, he doesn't need a superstar team to dominate a Grand Tour, just to be sure, UAE Team Emirates will send arguably the strongest team in Tour de France history to support their Slovenian leader in 2024.
Alongside the two-time Maillot Jaune winner will be last year's third place finisher, Adam Yates, former Grand Tour podium finishers in their own right Joao Almeida and Juan Ayuso, plus further climbing support from the duo of Marc Soler and Pavel Sivakov. To further strengthen the team, on the flat UAE Team Emirates can call upon the one-day specialists Nils Politt and Tim Wellens.
"A few years ago we were talking about how Pogacar's weak link was maybe his team. Well that argument is out of the window now," American ex-pro Brent Brookwalter says in conversation with NBC Sports Cycling's Beyond the Podium podcast. "We're looking at two of the guys going to the Tour de France to support him, 1-2 at the Tour de Suisse (Yates & Almeida ed.), big results in their own right and both winning stages. Can anyone beat these guys now?" Bewley asks aloud.
"We already knew Pogacar was going to be a favourite for the Tour de France, knowing the uncertainty of last year's champ Jonas Vingegaard, but seeing his team destroy everyone at the Tour de Suisse, I don't think anyone is going to be able to touch these guys," the 40-year-old, who himself started the Tour de France on four separate occasions continues.
So dominant are UAE Team Emirates, that Israel - Premier Tech sports director Sam Bewley believes a similar stranglehold of the GC could be on the cards in France. "For lack of a better term, they are taking the piss!" the Kiwi says of UAE's immense strength in depth. "They've got twice as many points as the second best team, this year alone. The depth there, wherever they go with whatever team, is mind blowing."
"Then you have the team that they're taking to the Tour de France... They aren't going to have problems in any scenario," the Israel - Premier Tech DS continues. "I wouldn't be surprised that, if Vingegaard is not at his level, if they literally start to think; Can we go 1-2-3 at the Tour de France? Like Visma did at the Vuelta a Espana last year. Honestly, I think they've got the guys to do it!"
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