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UAE Team Emirates had a day to remember as three of its riders clinched victories in their respective national championships. Ivo Oliveira, Marc Hirschi, and Tadej Pogačar all put in great performances to take home national road titles.
Ivo Oliveira, the talented Portuguese rider, was first to strike as he demonstrated his prowess by securing the Portuguese National Championship title with his twin brother Rui Oliveira close behind in 2nd place.
Oliveira : “It was a really hard race and we were marked really closely. After 5km I went in the breakaway and did 170km as a small group. The decisive move was at 70km to go when Rui attacked and then when they pulled him back I went full gas on the climb. It was super special to win here and to have the jersey for a year. Massive thanks to my teammates Rui and Joao and all my team for believing in me.”
Another triumph came shortly after from Swiss talent Marc Hirschi, who was victorious in the Swiss National Championships.
Hirschi : “I’m really happy and proud to take this title. It was a hard fought race but I could use my kick to get away in the final and make the difference. Today I had all day in my mind someone special who we lost recently. I dedicate this win to my friend Gino.”
Last but certainly not least, Tadej Pogačar, the two-time Tour de France champion, once again demonstrated his extraordinary talent by taking the Slovenian National Championship to add to his time-trial title secured earlier in the week.
Pogačar: “The team and I decided to make a selection at the very beginning of the race to reduce the bunch a bit. It became quite selective and the World Tour riders came to the front. When I attacked it was still a long way to go. Every kilometre Luka (Mezgec) and I asked ourselves if this was wise just the two of us but we collaborated well. In the end we succeeded and I am very happy for this victory. It’s a nice boost ahead of the Tour next week.”
The victories of Oliveira, Hirschi, and Pogačar in their respective national championships highlight the exceptional diverse talent within UAE Team Emirates.
Juan Ayuso came close to making it a fourth national title as he took silver in the Spanish Championships in Madrid.
Looking ahead, the team will now turn their attention to the Tour de France which begins in Bilbao on Monday.
Swiss NC results
1.Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) 3:40:43
2.Antoine Debons (Philippe Wagner cycling) +1’’
3.Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) +2’’
Portuguese NC results
1.Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) 4:16:19
2.Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates) +1’06’’
3.Luis Gomes (Kelly/Simoldes) +1’15’’
Slovenian NC results
1.Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) 3:51:12
2.Luka Mezgec (Jayco-Alula) +38’’
3.Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) +4’56’’
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