Reports indicate UAE Team Emirates won't bring a super strong support team for Tadej Pogacar to Giro d'Italia
Cycling
Classics quickly passed by and the attention of cycling world quickly turns to the next course on the 2024 menu which is the Giro d'Italia. It's not every year we feel so certain about the main favourite to take down the Italian Grand Tour, but that's exactly who we get in person of Tadej Pogacar.
Knowing his opponents won't miss an opportunity to draw arms against Pogacar, UAE Team Emirates needed to build a team strong enough to reflect any kind of offensive. Did they succeed? That remains to be seen in May.
However from the information brought by La Gazzetta dello Sport, we can get a solid picture of who the main cards in the hands of Tadej Pogacar will be.
In mountains, the Slovenian superstar can rely on his right-hand man Rafal Majka, just as experienced Felix Grossschartner, and compatriot Domen Novak. Novak showed very good form at recent Liege-Bastogne-Liege (won by Pogacar). The 25-year-old Dane Mikkel Bjerg is also to not be overlooked. Fourth at Tour of Flanders, Bjerg made it clear at UAE Tour at the start of the season that he doesn't fear long climbs in the slightest.
Completing UAE Team Emirates' roster should be two men for bunch sprints; Rui Oliveira and Juan Sebastián Molano, and road captain Vegard Stake Laengen.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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Info @Gazzetta_it - Sources confirmed us that so far this is @TeamEmiratesUAE for @giroditalia with @TamauPogi: Majka-Grossschartner-Bjerg-Novak-Molano-Oliveira-Vegard Stake Laengen @cycling_podcast Starting 4 may with first stage Venaria Reale-Torino
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