Tadej Pogacar,
Juan Ayuso,
Isaac del Toro. the conveyor belt
of young talent at UAE Team Emirates – XRG seems never-ending. And now, if
rumours are to be believed, it appears the Emirati outfit is set to add another
name to its glittering list of future stars: Ecuadorian teenager Mateo Pablo
Ramirez.
After a Giro d’Italia campaign that saw 21-year-old Isaac
del Toro finish on the podium, UAE’s sporting director Joxean Fernández Matxin
hinted at more youth driven reinforcements coming soon. Speaking to Primicias,
an Ecuadorian newspaper, Matxin said, “Ecuadorian cyclists are very good. We’ve
already signed one.” He declined to name the rider but promised an announcement
soon. However, a bit of social media investigation may have already revealed the
answer.
French journalist Renaud Breban spotted an Instagram story
posted by Giacomo Notari, a trainer at UAE Team Emirates – XRG. In it appeared
19-year-old Mateo Pablo Ramirez, a promising Ecuadorian currently racing for
Spanish U23 squad High Level–Gsport–Grupo Tormo. The image all but confirms the
rumoured signing.
Ramirez has been quietly making a name for himself in South
America. At this year’s Ecuadorian National Championships, he finished third in
the elite road race and second in the time trial, impressive results for a
teenager competing against the country’s best. His climbing pedigree and time
trial strength fit perfectly into UAE’s blueprint of grooming well rounded GC
contenders from a young age.
The signing would continue UAE’s aggressive strategy of
snapping up top international prospects before their competition can blink.
With Pogacar already a three-time Tour de France winner, Ayuso becoming a
podium contender, and del Toro rapidly rising through the ranks, UAE has
positioned itself as cycling’s premier incubator for young talent.
So, are UAE on the cusp of securing some more gold dust?
Perhaps the rival teams need to start improving their scouting networks?