Dubai: Two of UAE Team Emirates’ experienced riders have revealed that the results of the past week have helped immensely as the team looks forward to their next few challenges.
Italian riders Diego Ulissi and Fabio Aru have been chosen to lead the next few challenges on behalf of UAE Team Emirates and both are in a buoyant mood looking ahead.
The 31-year-old Ulissi will be leading a squad of seven while tackling the five-day Tour of Poland – the first World Tour stage race since the restart of the 2020 UCI calendar last week.
To be held from August 5 to 9, the event will start in Chorzow and finishes in the beautiful city of Krakow after taking in 891.3km of tough terrain over the five stages.
Ulissi will be backed up by the Portuguese trio of Rui Costa and brothers Ivo and Rui Oliveira, along with American Time Trial specialist Brandon McNulty and sprinters Sebastian Molano and Jasper Philipsen.
UAE Team Emirates restarted their campaign last week with an outright stage win with Fernando Gaviria snatching Stage 3 at the Vuelta Burgos in the Basque region of Spain. A day later, teammate Davide Formolo ultimately went on to finish second on the podium at Strade Bianche.
Given these encouraging results, Ulissi was fired up for the next challenge ahead for UAE Team Emirates. “After the win by Fernando in Burgos and the podium of Formolo in Strade Bianche, we are heading to Poland full of confidence,” he said.
“Personally my condition is good and there are a few stages there that suit me well. With the strength of the team we are bringing, I think we can do good things there.”
The team in Poland will be guided by Sports Directors Simone Pedrazzini and Bruno Vicini.
Meanwhile, UAE Team Emirates will also be racing in France with the back-to-back Mont Ventoux Denivele Challenge (August 6) and the Tour de L’Ain (from August 7-9). And leading the challenge in both races will be 2017 Italian National Champion Aru as the two events are packed with mountainous climbs.
“To be back racing again is a great feeling. A top-10 at Burgos shows that the condition is pretty good, but I am still building towards my top level,” Aru said.
“In France, the goal will be to continue building form towards the big goals like Lombardia and eventually the Tour de France.”
