Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar to make season debut at UAE Tour after recovering from Covid-19

Published 11/02/2022 at 13:16 GMT

Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar will make his season debut at the UAE Tour after recently returning to training following a bout of Covid-19. There was some doubt over whether the Slovenian would make the start line at the event, which is effectively a home race for his UAE Team Emirates, but he is back fit. Pogacar will be looking to defend his crown after winning last year's edition.

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Tadej Pogacar will return to action for the first time this year at the UAE Tour after being named on the startlist.

Pogacar had been fighting off a bout of Covid-19 in recent days and had to undergo medical clearance testing prior to getting the green light to participate in the first men's World Tour event of the season.

But it would appear the 23-year-old is back in good health and ready to defend his title having won the 2021 edition of the event.

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If Pogacar takes the crown at the finish at Jebel Hafeet on February 26, then he will pick up his ninth general classification of an increasingly remarkable career.

He announced himself to a wider audience with his stunning exploits at the 2020 Tour De France, and backed that up by taking his second Tour title last year.

And the Slovenian will no doubt have all eyes on the July event this year as he bids to make it three yellow jerseys in a row.

The UAE Tour is in essence a home race for Pogacar and his UAE Team Emirates.

This year's event comprises seven stages, beginning in Madinat Zayed on February 20 before the mountain-top finish on February 26.

The parcours is set to contain four flat stages, two days in the mountains and one individual time-trial.

Pogacar will be supported by new Team Emirates recruit Joao Almeida as he takes on the likes of Tom Dumoulin, Adam Yates and Romain Bardet for the GC.

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