59 UAE Team Emirates riders and staff receive coronavirus vaccine
Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar was among those who received the jab

59 UAE Team Emirates riders and support staff have been vaccinated against Covid-19, including Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar.
27 riders and 32 staff members received the vaccine this week in Abu Dhabi, specifically China's Sinopharm CNBG vaccine, which has been approved by the UAE Ministry of Health & Prevention.
When the team announced they were planning on getting vaccinated last month, team owner Mauro Gianetti said it would be up to each individual whether they chose to receive the vaccination, with Gianetti having already received it after being part of a group of volunteers who tried out the Sinopharm Group vaccine.
"As a UAE team we are enormously proud of the efforts the nation and its leadership has taken at every level to both combat the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and to be a leader in the efforts to bring life back to normal.
>>> Wout van Aert and Jumbo-Visma reportedly close to agreeing contract extension
"The whole team is delighted to have been given the opportunity to protect ourselves and others through taking the vaccine and we would like to congratulate the UAE and all partners of this program for their incredible work to make this happen."
During the team's annual trip to the UAE, they presented Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, a member of Dubai's ruling family, with the yellow jersey they won at last summer's Tour de France. Their first race of the 2021 season will be Challenge Mallorca on January 28.
UAE Team Emirates are the first WorldTour team to receive a coronavirus vaccine, while a senior Olympic official has called for athletes to be prioritised for vaccinations so that the Games can go ahead in Tokyo this summer.
The British Olympic Association are said to be in talks with the UK Government over securing coronavirus vaccines to ensure British athletes are able to compete.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.
Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).
I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.
-
-
Five talking points from stage eleven of the Giro d’Italia 2022
The Cycling Weekly highlights package from the stage which finally saw an Italian win at the home race this year
By Luke Friend • Published
-
Strava acquires injury prevention app Recover Athletics to provide personalised prehab
Evidence-based exercises are claimed to help athletes stay injury-free
By Anna Marie Hughes • Published
-
'Maybe I am out of my comfort zone' — Tadej Pogačar ahead of his first Tour of Flanders
Two-time Tour de France winner says it is going to be a "crazy race" on Sunday
By Adam Becket • Published
-
João Almeida victorious on top of Boí Taüll on stage four of the Volta a Catalunya
UAE Team Emirates rider wins stage, but Nairo Quintana moves into leader's jersey
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar wins Strade Bianche with stunning solo attack
The UAE Team Emirates rider becomes the first Tour de France winner to win the Italian classic
By Pete Trifunovic • Published
-
Matteo Trentin sprints from the front to win Le Samyn
Italian rider triumphs out of leading group on tough day in Belgium
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Having a team like this gives you goosebumps': Pogačar credits team after UAE Tour triumph
Slovenian takes control of leader's jersey after stage four
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar 'pretty happy' with fourth place in UAE Tour time trial
The Slovenian sits fifth on general classification after three stages
By Adam Becket • Published
-
'Nonconformist' Marc Hirschi 'makes cycling spectacular' and will return to previous levels after injury setbacks
The Swiss rider will start his season later due hip surgery, the injury that has troubled him for three years
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
UAE-Team Emirates will not use train-like tactics to help Tadej Pogačar: 'We will not contract champions to work as domestiques'
Pogačar is the outright favourite to win the Tour de France for a third year in a row
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published