UAE Team Emirates have many of the world's best climbers, young developing riders and also domestiques. Domen Novak has certainly proved himself as a right-hand man for the Slovenian this season, and the team is looking to keep him onboard for many seasons to come.
UAE is truly building out a block for the future, in the way Team Sky has in the past. Besides their many leaders, the team is looking to provide long-term contracts to it'd reliable domestiques. Riders like Isaac Del Toro, Juan Ayuso and Jan Christen are already signed from 2028 and beyond, whilst Tadej Pogacar is currently under contract until the end of 2027. The team now looks to renew with Domen Novak until the end of 2027 as well.
Novak was a rider for Bahrain - Victorious for several years, understandibly as the team focuses a lot on Eastern European nations. However, with the influence of Pogacar, Domen Novak was signed into the UAE team in 2023 but it was this year that he began to really show his worth as a supporting rider.
In every single race that Pogacar was present in this year, so was Novak. He helped support his compatriot at Strade Bianche, but was very presently in the head of the peloton during Milano-Sanremo, Volta a Catalunya and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In form and with great leading abilities, he will also be a key domestique in the upcoming Giro d'Italia. His contract ends at the end of 2024 but the partnership will likely not end at the end of the season.
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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.
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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)...
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Info @Gazzetta_it - Domen Novak will extend his contract with @TeamEmiratesUAE according to our sources. Almost deal done for another multiple year agreement till 2027. He will do now @giroditalia with @TamauPogi @cycling_podcast
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