Tadej Pogacar, top favorite and UAE leader, seeks his fifth Tour, third consecutive

The Slovenian Tadej Pogacar will lead the UAE Team Emirates-XRG in the 113th edition of the Tour de France between July 4 and 26. Pogacar will seek his fifth win on the Tour, the third consecutive, with Isaac del Toro and Adam Yates as bodyguards.

The Slovenian star will be able to match great cycling names such as Navarro Miguel Indurain , French Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault , and Belgian Eddy Merckx , all five of the winners of the Tour de France.

The 27-year-old cyclist, who arrives at the Tour with his victories on the Tour de Romandía and the Tour de Switzerland, has been "excited" and "eager" to start in Barcelona with a team clock in the first stage.

"The Tour de France is alwaysthe biggest challenge of the season and the race that motivates us the most, every year you come out knowing that anything can happen in those three weeks, and that's what makes it so special, "he said.

"We've all worked hard and now we're excited to start in Barcelona," the Slovenian said. "I feel good, I really want to compete, and I know I'm going to have a wonderful team and staff around me.

TheUAE will also take advantage of the experience of German Nils Politt  and Adam Yates, while Mexican climber Isaac del Toro will debut at 22 years old after winning the Auvernia-Rodano-Alpine Tour.

Other runners on the list are Austrian climber Felix Grossschartner , American specialist Brandon McNulty , and Belgians Tim Wellens and Florian Vermeersch .