The Sunday afternoon victory ride around the streets of Paris in July is becoming a pleasantly familiar one for the remarkable and relentless Tadej Pogacar.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG's Slovenian superstar sealed Tour de France title number four having produced a devastating performance of total dominance in cycling's grandest race.
Pogacar went into Stage 1 in Lille back on July 5 with the added pressure of being overwhelming favourite, having already secured wins on the roads of the UAE, Belgium, Italy and France in 2025 – which in turn had come hot-on-the-heels of last year's historic triple-crown.
But any thoughts that the 26-year-old might struggle in the spotlight on what was considered one of the most challenging Tour courses in memory were blown away in awe-inspiring fashion.
The list of achievements in this year's race includes four stage wins which moves him up to sixth on the all-time Tour list with 21 victories in total.
A century of career wins was reached on Stage 4 when he sealed victory by holding off the challenge of fellow cycling big guns Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Vingegaard. He even came close to another victory on Sunday's final stage until his legs finally gave way as Wout van Aert powered to the win.
Pogacar reached and breached the half-century marker for wearing the famous leader's yellow jersey having not relinquished the overall lead since Stage 13, maintaining an advantage of more than four minutes.
That is certainly not to say Pogacar found this year a gentle amble around the beautiful French countryside and mountain ranges, far from it.
“Every year we say 'It’s the hardest Tour ever', it's all so crazy, but, honestly, I know that this year’s Tour was something on another level,” Pogacar said after Saturday's penultimate stage.
“Maybe one day we went a bit easier, but if you look at the power files throughout the whole Tour, it’s been really amazing and tough. Even today we almost went all out from start to finish.
“I must say that even though it was the hardest, one of the hardest Tours I ever did, I enjoyed it and had good shape and good legs.”
And such is Pogacar's love of the sport that after three of the most gruelling weeks of his cycling career, he might be back in the saddle within a day of leaving the French capital.
“Monday, I travel home, Tuesday maybe I go on the bike. You never know – if I feel good, I do a bit of riding, stop for coffee and enjoy summer at home,” he admitted with a smile on Saturday.
Pogacar on Week 1 of Tour – in pictures
Jeroen Swart, UAE Team Emirates-XRG's head of performance, believes that keeping Pogacar motivated is going to be key to him maintaining his current sky-high levels.
“I think he's really at his peak. The question now is how long we can keep him at this level, and it's no longer a question of age, but mainly of motivation,” said Swart in an interview with L'Equipe this week.
“With Tadej, the most important thing is to maintain his enthusiasm. He loves what's new, like trying Paris-Roubaix or trying to win Milan-San Remo.
“In some ways, the Tour is a puzzle, you know. You have to be good in time trials, in the mountains, stay healthy, and not crash, but there's nothing new.
“That's why he wanted to ride the Giro, and now that he's done it, he wants to win Roubaix to keep his motivation up and maintain his level.”
That motivation could see him target the one Grand Tour title that has so far eluded Pogacar in his already glittering career.
Last year saw Pogacar, in his now trademark attacking style, blitz the Giro d'Italia at the first attempt meaning he has only the Vuelta a Espana winner's silverware missing from a trophy cabinet that must be at bursting point.
Pogacar finished third overall in the 2019 La Vuelta, a performance that included three stage wins, in what has been his only appearance.
On Saturday, Pogacar revealed that a decision has yet to be made on whether he will be lining up in the Italian city of Turin for the race's opening stage on August 23.
“I said on, I don't know which day, that we will decide a couple of days after the Tour when everything is calm and heads are clear, then we make decisions for the next races,” Pogacar added.
“It's going to be tough to decide. Of course, I would like to go to the Vuelta. Every year I do the Tour and I would like to do the Vuelta one day also, so we will see.”
Whatever his decision, Pogacar is safe in the knowledge that he is enjoying another stellar year and is now behind only Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, who have all recorded a record five Tour victories.
Pogacar on Week 2 of Tour – in pictures
Last week saw a different kind of dominance from the Slovenian who decided to switch off his usual all-out attack mode and instead looked to defend his lead through the Alps – particularly from Vingegaard who tried, and failed, to drop his great rival on multiple occasions.
“I’m obviously tired,” admitted Pogacar on Friday. “It hasn’t been an easy Tour. People have been attacking me from left, right and centre.
“From day one to the end, I’ve had to stay focused and motivated. The main priority was always the yellow jersey.
“Sometimes, all you can do is keep counting down the distance to the finish line. That’s how it is.”
And UAE Team Emirates are well aware of the focus and motivation their lead rider possesses. “We realise how incredibly fortunate we are to work with him,” added Swart to L'Equipe. “He's the first person with such a skill level.
“It only happens once in a generation; it's like working with Roger Federer or Tiger Woods; it's just incredible to see them achieve what they're capable of.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
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THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Results
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m; Winner: Dhafra, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Al Ajayib, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
4pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Ashtr, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Falcon Claws, Szczepan Mazur, Doug Watson
5pm: Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Cup – Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 1,700m; Winner: Al Mufham SB, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Badar Al Hajri
5.30pm: Sharjah Marathon – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,700m; Winner: Asraa Min Al Talqa, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
The biog
Name: Mohammed Imtiaz
From: Gujranwala, Pakistan
Arrived in the UAE: 1976
Favourite clothes to make: Suit
Cost of a hand-made suit: From Dh550
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Dubai World Cup Carnival Thursday race card
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Handicap $135,000 (D) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Naga
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Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
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If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
