The UAE Team Emirates has announced its lineup for the Tour Down Under, taking place from January 16 to 21. Young talents Isaac del Toro and António Morgado will make their World Tour debut.
Diego Ulissi will be the captain
Ulissi has had notable performances in previous Tour Down Under editions. In 2020, he secured second place in the general classification, finishing behind Richie Porte. In earlier editions, he achieved third place (2014), fifth place (2017), fourth place (2018), and ninth place (2019). The only exception was in 2016 when he didn’t make the top ten, finishing in eleventh place.
“We are really looking forward to the start of the season here in Australia,” says the 34-year-old Italian. “We have a very strong team for this race, with many opportunities to win. I have had good results here a few times in the past and hope to be competitive again. But at the same time, I also want to share my experience with the young riders who are growing within the team.”
Debut of two cycling prospects
The 20-year-old Mexican Isaac del Toro won the Tour de l’Avenir last year and shortly after signed a three-year contract with UAE Team Emirates.
The Tour Down Under will mark the debut of the youngest cyclist on the team, Portuguese rider António Morgado. The 19-year-old Portuguese cyclist, another promising talent from Caldas da Rainha, finished second in the Junior World Championships in 2022 and repeated that performance in 2023 in the U23 World Championships.
In addition to Ulissi and the young talents, Finn-Fisher Black, Michael Vink, Alessandro Covi, and Álvaro Hodeg will also travel to Tanunda. The Tour Down Under begins on Tuesday, January 16. The decisive part of this competition will be in the last two days. The last two stages will feature challenging ascents to Willunga Hill and Mount Lofty, respectively.
Check out the UAE Team Emirates lineup for the Tour Down Under 2024: