UAE Team Emirates will be present and well balanced at the Tour de France, introducing for the first time a squad coming from United Arab Emirates, with ambitious goals. Diego Ulissi and Ben Swift for the stages and Louis Meintjes, 8th in the last edition, will be fighting for the General Classification after showing a real good shape during last Criterium du Dauphiné.

Discover the line-up watching the official introduction video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJmWz-SW5mw

“We are confident on the work done,” said sport director Mario Scirea “and the last performance at the Criterium du Dauphiné gave us the confirmation of being on the right way. We worked so hard as a team during last month on altitude, on Mount San Pellegrino in Italy, and all the data bring us confidence on the next Tour de France. For sure we also need good luck, but you have to help it”.

Quotes:

Louis Meintjes: “Last year I was 8th in the Tour de France, this result motivates me to try and go for some more in the GC. I hope that there will be no problems in the first week, then it will be great to have on the mountains the same feelings I had in the Criterium du Dauphiné”.

Ben Swift “This year at the Tour de Franceill live a new experience, because I’ll have the freedom of taking my opportunities. In the past, I worked for the team, now I’m happy that the team entrusted me of trying to be as much competitive as possible in the stages that suite me most“.

Diego Ulissi: “I will debut in the Tour, I strongly wanted to face this new challenge, in search of new motivations and in order to perceive directly how great is the Tour de France. I’ll be in France with the goal of trying to fight for a stage victory, however I’m aware that this is one of the most difficult task because everybody will go for this target“.

Riders Roster:

Atapuma Darwin (Columbia), Bono Matteo (Italy), Durasek Kristijan (Croatia), Laengen Vegard Stake (Norway), Marcato Marco (Italy), Meintjes Louis (South Africa), Mori Manuele (Italy), Swift Ben (England), Ulissi Diego (Italy).

Sports directors: Mario Scirea (Italy), Marco Marzano (Italy).