- UAE Team Emirates dominate the Team Classification
- Australian Jay Vine wins King of the Mountains jersey
News | Team – 10th September 2024
UAE Team Emirates wrapped up the final Grand Tour of 2024 with a strong team performance at La Vuelta. Over the course of the three weeks, the team showed relentless determination and togetherness, securing the overall Team Classification. Jay Vine, who returned to racing following a long injury lay off, battled fiercely throughout to claim the King of the Mountains jersey.
The Vuelta kicked off with mixed fortunes for UAE Team Emirates. USA National Time Trial champion Brandon McNulty set the tone early with a sensational ride in the Stage 1 Individual Time Trial, edging out Lidl-Trek’s Mathias Vacek by a narrow 2-second margin to claim his first Grand Tour stage win. However, the team was dealt a blow when leader Joao Almeida, who looked set to contend for the general classification, had to withdraw after contracting Covid-19 following a promising performance on Stage 4.
UAE Team Emirates were back to winning ways on stage 9. Adam Yates delivered one of the standout performances of the race, launching a stunning solo attack to claim victory after some immense teamwork from Marc Soler and Jay Vine in the breakaway. It was a defining moment for the team, showcasing their collective strength.
The second half of La Vuelta belonged to Marc Soler. The Spaniard, racing on home soil, captured the hearts of fans with his tireless efforts in search of another Grand Tour stage win. After three podium finishes in four stages, Soler’s persistence was finally rewarded on Stage 16. Despite being dropped by Max Poole, Soler showcased his trademark resilience, clawing his way back before launching a decisive counterattack with 4.3KM to go. He left his rivals behind to take a well-deserved victory.
UAE Team Emirates finished the Vuelta having secured the prestigious Team Classification title, a reflection of their togetherness and stage-winning ambitions throughout the race. Jay Vine’s efforts earned him the King of the Mountains jersey, an honour well-deserved after his breakaway performances.
Reflecting on the team’s efforts across the 21-stage race, Sports Director Marco Marcato said: “All things considered we have to be very happy with this Vuelta. We set-out to be active in the race every day and I think it was the right strategy for us. Unfortunately, we lost our leader Almeida at the beginning of the race, but we adapted our plans, and we can say it worked out well. We can be proud of our riders.”
Following the culmination of the 2024 Grand Tour season, UAE Team Emirates head to North America as the team set their sights on Grand Prix racing in Quebec and Montreal, where fans will be in the presence of greatness as Tadej Pogačar returns to the saddle in UAE Team Emirates colours.
The Slovenian sensation returns to racing following his spectacular Tour de France win, using this opportunity to get back into race rhythm ahead of the World Championships in Zurich. Pogačar’s quest for the rainbow stripes will see him tackle a parcours with over 4,000m of climbing, a route that should prove far more favourable than Glasgow 2023, where he ultimately lost out to flying dutchman Mathieu Van Der Poel.
In what has already been a historic season, UAE Team Emirates continue to dominate the UCI World Tour and lead the way atop of the team rankings for the season.
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