Tadej Pogacar is back in the saddle for the first time since his Tour de France triumph as the cycling season begins building up towards the World Championships in Zurich.
The UAE Team Emirates rider decided to take a break instead of competing for Slovenia at the Paris Olympics after becoming the first man to complete the Giro d'Italia-Tour de France double since Marco Pantani in 1998.
Pogacar returns to action for Grand Prix races in Quebec and Montreal, which involve two races of circuits with 16 laps in Canada on Friday and Sunday, both with extremely demanding repetitive climbs.
The World Championships then take place from September 21 to 29, which could see Pogacar attempt become only the third man – after Eddy Merckx (1974) and Stephen Roche (1987) – to secure the triple crown of Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and world title wins. Annemiek van Vleuten completed the women's triple crown in 2022.
“I don't know how many Grand Tours Primoz Roglic and I have won now but a Slovenian has never won the world title. I hope to put that right,” Pogacar said in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.
Before that, Pogacar heads to Canada where he will be favourite to succeed Belgian Arnaud De Lie and his British UAE Team Emirates teammate Adam Yates, winners in Quebec and Montreal respectively last year.
He will spearhead a strong squad alongside former Montreal winner Tim Wellens and Juan Ayuso as alternative leaders, with Igor Arrieta, Finn Fisher-Black and Rafal Majka completing the line-up.
Rivals include De Lie, who achieved his first World Tour success last year, Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe and Australian Michael Matthews. The only two World Tour races on the American continent will also be a rehearsal for the 2026 World Championships in Montreal.
“I’ve had a good break from racing and I'm eager to get back to it now starting in Canada,” Pogacar said. “It's a beautiful part of the world to ride a bike in and I have great memories here from two years ago.
“My condition is good and I’m focused on enjoying and doing well in this last part of the season. The level will be high there as always and we will need to be at our best. Whatever happens for the rest of the season, I can be happy with what I’ve achieved this year. Anything else will be a bonus.”
Already the youngest rider to win the yellow jersey three times, Pogacar is fast closing in on the all-time Tour record of five, jointly held by Jacques Anquetil, Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
Lance Armstrong won seven consecutive Tours but was given a lifetime ban from professional sport and stripped of his titles in 2012 for doping offences.
“When I was younger, I was never thinking that I can win a stage in the Tour de France,” Pogacar told CNN Sport this week. “After I won the first Tour de France – because that’s an ultimate goal in cycling – everything is more or less a bonus.
“I’m just racing to have fun, not to feel that it’s obligatory or anything, and go with a free mind to races.
“I don’t like to talk about what can be in the future, what records can be broken. But three now, three Tours de France and maybe 10 more years of my career if I’m well. So the odds are pretty good still to have five Tours de France, but that’s not the goal I want.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
