UAE Team Emirates' new Swiss rider Marc Hirschi. BettiniPhoto©2021
UAE Team Emirates' new Swiss rider Marc Hirschi. BettiniPhoto©2021
UAE Team Emirates' new Swiss rider Marc Hirschi. BettiniPhoto©2021
UAE Team Emirates' new Swiss rider Marc Hirschi. BettiniPhoto©2021

Other Sport

Marc Hirschi: I will be wearing the UAE flag with pride

In this week's column from UAE Team Emirates, their new Swiss rider reveals his plans for a challenging season

Marc Hirschi

April 30, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

I wanted to be a professional cyclist ever since I was small. I started cycling because of my dad. Although not a professional, he was an avid rider himself and loved to cycle in his spare time. When I was younger, we spent a lot of time together out on the bike, and he taught me to love the sport. That is where it all started.

Now, I’m in my third season on the World Tour and my first with UAE Team Emirates having joined in January. Last year was difficult for everyone but following the lockdown and our return to cycling, I did really well. I won a stage at the Tour de France on my grand tour debut for Team Sunweb and won bronze in the world road championships.

This year I planned to start the season slowly and reach my full potential around about this time. I had just joined a new team, so it always takes some time to settle, and this was my first goal for the season. I’ve ticked that off now and feel at home thanks to the warm welcome I received.

Heading into the summer months, I've got one eye on the biggest race in the world, the Tour de France and hope to build on my stage win last year and perform well for the team this season. I was competing against Tadej [Pogacar] and watched his emphatic performance to take the victory last year. Now, I'm in the same squad as him and it will be an honour to compete in the Tour alongside him and the other UAE Team Emirates guys.

Marc Hirschi joined UAE Team Emirates in January. BettiniPhoto©2021
Marc Hirschi joined UAE Team Emirates in January. BettiniPhoto©2021

This year is also an Olympic year and Tokyo is a big focus for me. I’m super motivated for the Olympics road race and will be looking to emulate the success of my good friend, agent and compatriot, Fabian Cancellara, when he won two gold medals in the time trials.

Fabian is a hero for me and is much more than just an agent or a manager. He gives me a lot of advice and we work really well together – it always helps when we are from the same country (Switzerland). My first memory of him was in Peking where he won his first gold medal in the individual time trial and silver in the men’s road race at the summer Olympics in 2008.

Eight years later, he did it again and won gold in the individual time trial in Rio. He’s a big inspiration for me and I hope I’ll be able to achieve what he achieved in Tokyo.

________________________________________________

Pogacar wins Tour de France

UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, is seen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Deceuninck-Quick Step rider Sam Bennett of Ireland, wearing the green jersey, before the official start. REUTERS
UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia, is seen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Deceuninck-Quick Step rider Sam Bennett of Ireland, wearing the green jersey, before the official start. REUTERS
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (L) of UAE-Team Emirates wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Irish rider Sam Bennett (R) of Deceuninck Quick-Step team wearing the best sprinter green jersey greet each other before the start of the 21th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (L) of UAE-Team Emirates wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey and Irish rider Sam Bennett (R) of Deceuninck Quick-Step team wearing the best sprinter green jersey greet each other before the start of the 21th stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, left, who lost his overall leader's yellow jersey to Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, gets a hug during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 kilometers (75.8 miles), from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. AP Photo
Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, left, who lost his overall leader's yellow jersey to Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, gets a hug during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 kilometers (75.8 miles), from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. AP Photo
Italy's Elia Viviani wears a face mask reading "No To Racism" as he arrives for the start of the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race. AP Photo
Italy's Elia Viviani wears a face mask reading "No To Racism" as he arrives for the start of the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race. AP Photo
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates, bearer of the Yellow T-shirt waves from the podium before the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar of the UAE Team Emirates, bearer of the Yellow T-shirt waves from the podium before the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey attends the start of the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey attends the start of the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (3rd-L) and Team UAE Emirates riders ride during the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP
Team UAE Emirates rider Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey (3rd-L) and Team UAE Emirates riders ride during the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP
Team Jumbo rider Slovenia's Primoz Roglic waits prior to the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP
Team Jumbo rider Slovenia's Primoz Roglic waits prior to the 21st and last stage of the 107th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 122 km between Mantes-la-Jolie and Champs Elysees Paris. AFP
Spectators watch the peloton passing by during the 21st stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Spectators watch the peloton passing by during the 21st stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 122 km from Mantes la Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (2-nd L) of the UAE Team Emirates, flanked by teammates, wears the overall leader's yellow jersey as waiting for the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogacar (2-nd L) of the UAE Team Emirates, flanked by teammates, wears the overall leader's yellow jersey as waiting for the start of the 21st and last stage of the Tour de France 2020 cycling race over 122km from Mantes-La-Jolie to Paris, France. EPA

________________________________________________

This year, I’m also focusing on the World Championships in September. Wearing the rainbow colours on my jersey for a full year would be amazing and is definitely a dream race for me. It would be incredible, and I hope I can achieve this someday in the next few years.

Away from racing, I like to spend time with my family, girlfriend and my friends at home. Just being able to relax with good people around me. Being at home with my loved ones helps me to ‘reload’ – something that is important amid  the stresses of being on the road for the majority of the year. It is hard being away for such a long time and being so far away but I love cycling and it makes me cherish the valuable time I have with them when I do come home.

I’d like to thank all the fans in the UAE for giving me such a warm welcome and I will be wearing the UAE flag with pride in my upcoming races. I hope that everyone has a fantastic Ramadan and is staying safe. See you all soon!

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

How Apple's credit card works

The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.

What does it cost?

Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.

What will the interest rate be?

The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts

What about security? 

The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.

Is it easy to use?

Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision. 

* Associated Press 

Cycling