Only 1 rider has raced for UAE Team Emirates - XRG in it's whole existance - Tadej Pogacar comes third
Cycling
UAE Team Emirates - XRG, as it is known today, was created in 2017 out of the former Lampre-Merida project. For much of its existence it was a mostly Italian-based team, however over time this has changed quite a bit, and currently it has evolved into the world's wealthiest and most successful team by far, led by Tadej Pogacar who was its prime signing in 2019. But, who has spent more time than the Slovenian in the team?
The answer is Norway's Vegard Stake Laengen, a reliable domestique who is the only rider that has been with the team since its very start. Furthermore, he was signed specifically that year and didn't carry over from the Lampre structure as several other riders did. Laengen is still racing with the team, serving as a road captain all year long for its many leaders, and continues to have a contract until 2026 after the team renewed with the 36-year old this winter.
Second comes Diego Ulissi, who was part of the former Lampre but carried over to UAE from 2017 to 2024. He left the team this year, but left a large mark in its history, becoming the second rider to win the most behind only Tadej Pogacar. The veteran is one of the riders with the most longevity in the peloton and his success continues to be remembered today, even though he continues to win - now with XDS Astana Team.
Tadej Pogacar was signed in 2019 and has now raced seven seasons with the team, he is the third most experienced rider in the team's structure together with several others. At the time, he joined UAE together with Juan Sebastián Molano and the Oliveira twins - Rui and Ivo. All of which continue to race with the team beyond 2025. Jan Polanc and Alessandro Covi have also spent seven seasons with the team but for now that number won't increase, with the Slovenian retired and Covi leaving towards Team Jayco AlUla this winter. Mikkel Bjerg and Brandon McNulty are the two riders who have six seasons under their belt and may go up the charts next year.
Vegard Stake Laengen has been part of UAE Team Emirates - XRG since its creation. The collaboration hasn't ended yet. @Sirotti
Riders with the most years at UAE Team Emirates - XRG
| Order | Rider | Years | 1st year | Last year |
| 1 | LAENGEN Vegard Stake | 9 | 2017 | 2025 |
| 2 | Diego Ulissi | 8 | 2017 | 2024 |
| 3 | OLIVEIRA Rui | 7 | 2019 | 2025 |
| 3 | OLIVEIRA Ivo | 7 | 2019 | 2025 |
| 3 | POGAČAR Tadej | 7 | 2019 | 2025 |
| 3 | MOLANO Juan Sebastián | 7 | 2019 | 2025 |
| 3 | POLANC Jan | 7 | 2017 | 2023 |
| 7 | COVI Alessandro | 7 | 2018 | 2025 |
| 7 | COSTA Rui | 6 | 2017 | 2022 |
| 7 | MCNULTY Brandon | 6 | 2020 | 2025 |
| 7 | BJERG Mikkel | 6 | 2020 | 2025 |
| 7 | MIRZA Yousif | 6 | 2017 | 2022 |
| 7 | RICHEZE Max | 6 | 2017 | 2022 |
| 7 | TROIA Oliviero | 6 | 2017 | 2022 |
| 14 | MARCATO Marco | 5 | 2017 | 2021 |
| 14 | MAJKA Rafał | 5 | 2021 | 2025 |
| 14 | CONTI Valerio | 5 | 2017 | 2021 |
| 14 | MARCATO Marco | 5 | 2017 | 2021 |
| 14 | RIABUSHENKO Alexandr | 5 | 2017 | 2021 |
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
- and another no-news article around the ‚2 tokyo jogging rounds‘ headline, this time spiced with some days old ‚news‘ that the LA and japan vacation trips come during or after the tdf route release. i am getting more and more annoyed by this time-stealing no-news crap. but who am i to complain? nobody forces me to come back for more ‚news‘ day after day …Ketterechts02-11-2026
- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
- Who cares what Bruyneel thinks. He and his best mate Lance, the biggest fraud in the history of sport, have no place commenting on anything but how to lie and cheat!whit2pet02-11-2026
- Eeesh!Lozza02-11-2026
- bravo! a rider likes jonas needs motivation and he needs to believe in being able to reach goals. he - like anybody else in the world - doesn't believe that he can win the tdf with pogi present. and what's it worth for when pogi is not there? second class victory only. he has checked all three grand tours, so what is left if not retire? the classics! go for it, jonas!Ketterechts02-11-2026
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment