UAE Team Emirates under review: How their historic season proved the squad is much more than just 'Team Pogacar'

Of course, we can't talk about UAE Team Emirates without extensively reviewing the performance of Pogacar. But let’s start by looking at other riders in the team. Beyond Pogacar, the squad showcased an incredibly strong classics lineup. Marc Hirschi, for example, arguably had his best season ever — and certainly his strongest year with this team. With nine victories, including seven in one-day races, Hirschi’s season was a fantastic one. His win at the Clásica San Sebastián stood out as a particular highlight for the Swiss rider.

Typically, UAE Team Emirates isn’t known for excelling in the cobbled classics. However, this year they made their presence felt in races like the Tour of Flanders, with four riders in the top twelve and three in the top five. Nils Politt, after finishing on the podium in Flanders, went on to secure fourth place in Paris-Roubaix. The young talents also made waves — António Morgado in Flanders and Filippo Baroncini, who claimed victory in the SUPER 8 Classic.

And then there’s Pogacar. Where do we even begin? Two monuments, Strade Bianche, the GP Montréal and the Giro dell'Emilia were among his achievements. The Slovenian obliterated the competition with unprecedented solo attacks. Wherever he raced, he contended for victory. The crowning moment of UAE Team Emirates’ one-day season was undoubtedly Pogacar’s World Championship win in Zürich, where he soloed to victory after a 100-kilometer attack. In short, UAE Team Emirates delivered a stunning performance in terms of one-day races — better than ever.

Winning two of the three Grand Tours in a single season is a remarkable achievement. But Pogacar didn’t just win — he dominated. In the Giro d’Italia, he grabbed the pink jersey on stage two and never let it go. By the time all was said and done, he had won six stages in the Italian race and finished nearly ten (!) minutes ahead of the runner-up. The team as a whole also deserves praise. At the start of the Giro, UAE Team Emirates was seen as a B-team with a fantastic leader, but fellow Slovenian Domen Novak and veteran Rafal Majka were particularly strong and kept control throughout the whole race.

And the team was only just getting started, as Pogacar delivered an equally impressive performance in the Tour de France. He won six stages, and in Nice, he crossed the finish line over six minutes ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, with a nine-minute lead over Remco Evenepoel. With João Almeida finishing fourth and Adam Yates sixth, UAE placed three riders in the top ten — and then to think that Juan Ayuso’s mid-race withdrawal due to injury prevented what could have been an even stronger result. There is no denying that the team dominated the Tour from start to finish.

Compared to the Giro and the Tour, the Vuelta a España was less impressive. Leaders Yates and Almeida fell short: the Portuguese rider dropped out early due to a positive COVID-19 test, while the British star finished 12th. Nonetheless, Yates managed to win a stage, as did teammates Brandon McNulty (opening time trial) and Marc Soler (stage 16). Pavel Sivakov rode a strong race, finishing ninth overall. In short, a solid Vuelta. Beyond the grand tours, UAE Team Emirates also claimed overall victories in the Renewi Tour, the Tour of Switzerland and the Volta a Catalunya — and those are just the WorldTour wins.

The cycling world is calling UAE Team Emirates' 2024 season the best season in cycling history, and that is no exaggeration. Our editorial team completely agrees. Two monuments, two grand tours, a World Championship, and a staggering 81 wins — 41 of which were at the WorldTour level... An unparalleled performance, for sure. Our rating: 9.8 out of 10. A perfect 10 is virtually impossible, but if they continue down the same path next year...

Competition within UAE Team Emirates is fierce, leading to some significant departures. Marc Hirschi, who signed with Tudor Pro Cycling, is the most notable exit. Veteran Diego Ulissi, who’s been with the team (and its predecessor Lampre) since 2010, will ride for Astana Qazaqstan next year. Rising star Finn Fisher-Black moves to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, while Sjoerd Bax leaves for Q36.5 Pro Cycling, where he will get to chase his personal success more often.

Despite these losses, the team made some major signings. Jhonatan Narváez, the Ecuadorian who defeated Pogacar in the Giro’s first stage, will strengthen their classics squad, as will Florian Vermeersch from Lotto Dstny. Julius Johansen and Rune Herregodts are surprise additions but bring time-trial expertise and versatility on various terrains. The team also signed 19-year-old Pablo Torres, who smashed Chris Froome’s climbing record on the Colle delle Finestre — making him a potential future star.

Incoming: Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers), Florian Vermeersch (Lotto Dstny), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Wanty), Julius Johansen (Sabgal / Anicolor), Pablo Torres (UAE Team Emirates Gen Z).

Outgoing (provisional list): Diego Ulissi (Astana Qazaqstan), Marc Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling), Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Sjoerd Bax (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) Álvaro Hodeg (not yet known), Michael Vink (not yet known).

The big question for 2025: can Pogacar match — or even surpass — this year’s performances? It seems impossible, but then again, there seems to be no stopping the Slovenian. Nobody even comes close to what he can do, and with the rainbow jersey around his shoulders, he may soar even higher. Nothing seems out of reach for cycling's biggest star.

But the team has proven it’s far from a one-man show. João Almeida continues to edge closer to the top and could compete for podium spots in the grand tours. The same goes for Adam Yates, but Juan Ayuso, still just 22, is especially promising. With more freedom next season, the Spaniard’s potential is boundless. Riders like Isaac Del Toro, McNulty, Jay Vine and the young Pablo Torres could also make their mark in the mountains.

The spring classics team is becoming more and more interesting to follow. With Politt, Wellens, Morgado, Mikkel Bjerg but also Jan Christen they already had a solid team, but with the arrival of Narváez, Vermeersch and Herregodts, the classics core is getting stronger. The team seems ready to compete with teams like Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma | Lease a Bike, although they seem to still lack that truly exceptional leader who can help them navigate the spring classics. Then again... if Pogacar chooses to ride more classics, it will be hard to stop UAE Team Emirates.

1. João Almeida
2. Igor Arrieta
3. Juan Ayuso
4. Filippo Braoncini
5. Mikkel Bjerg
6. Jan Christen
7. Alessandro Covi
8. Isaac Del Toro
9. Felix Großschartner
10. Rune Herregodts
11. Julius Johansen
12. Vegard Stake Laengen
13. Rafal Majka
14. Brandon Mcnulty
15. Juan Sebastiàn Molano
16. António Morgado
17. Jhonatan Narváez
18. Domen Novak
19. Ivo Oliveira
20. Rui Oliveira
21. Tadej Pogacar
22. Nils Politt
23. Pavel Sivakov
24. Marc Soler
25. Pablo Torres
26. Florian Vermeersch
27. Jay Vine
28. Tim Wellens
29. Adam Yates