‘Leaving Team Sky was a now or never. I have a massive opportunity to perform across the year’
CW sits down with Ben Swift as he heads through his first season since leaving Team Sky, with an eye on a Monument win
UAE Team Emirates
United Arab Emirates | Website
UAE Team Emirates is a new name in the pro peloton for 2017, although the roots of the team actually stretch back to 1991, making it one of the longest-running squads.
The then Italian-registered squad rode under the Lampre name and with various secondary sponsors throughout the 1990s and 2000s: Lampre-Panaria, Lampre-Fondital and Lampre-Merida among them.
In recent years, though, Lampre’s former distinctive pink, blue and green kit perhaps stood out more than any individual rider.
Former world champion Rui Costa and Italian Diego Ulissi are currently the biggest stars signed to the team.
The addition of rising South African talent Louis Meintjes in 2016 and British sprinter Ben Swift for 2017 has increased the team’s presence in Grand Tours and the classics respectively. Climbing specialist Meintjes finished the 2016 Tour de France in eighth place.
The team very nearly did not gain a place in the 2017 WorldTour after a Chinese backer failed to come up with sponsorship money. A last-minute deal struck with Abu Dhabi saw the squad saved, and a place in the WorldTour secured. Emirates airline joined the team as co-title sponsor in February 2017.
The squad rides Colnago bikes equipped with Campagnolo drivetrain.
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Ben Swift has 'mad rush home' from Abu Dhabi Tour for birth of first child
UAE Team Emirates sprinter Ben Swift had late night home from the Abu Dhabi Tour on Saturday to attend the birth of his first child.
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Rui Costa out-foxes Quintana and Contador on Abu Dhabi Tour's big climb
Nairo Quintana, Alberto Contador and Vincenzo Nibali missed the danger move from Rui Costa on the Abu Dhabi Tour's mountain finish
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Emirates airline is new co-title sponsor of UAE WorldTour cycling team
UAE pro cycling team unveil Emirates airline as their new co-title sponsor ahead of the Abu Dhabi Tour
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Ben Swift puts team problems behind him as he focuses on Milan-San Remo
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Former Lampre-Merida team granted WorldTour licence after securing Abu Dhabi backing
The former Lampre-Merida team has been giving a WorldTour licence for 2017, and will change its name to UAE Abu Dhabi after being saved at eleventh hour.
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Abu Dhabi backer saves Ben Swift's TJ Sport/Lampre team
Last-minute deal should see the finalisation of the WorldTour's 18th team
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Team TJ Sport's WorldTour licence remains under review
Team TJ Sport's plans to become the first Chinese WorldTour team remain up in the air
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Watch: Stage winner causes rival to do a somersault shortly after they cross the finish line
Max Walscheid turned to celebrate his victory in the Tour of Hainan in front of the TV camera but a rider became a victim of his abrupt change in direction
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Could Ben Swift's move to TJ Sport-Lampre pave the way for other Brits?
One of the founding British members of Team Sky, Ben Swift is one of the few to leave the team to move to new opportunities at WorldTour level
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Ben Swift set to leave Team Sky for Lampre in 2017
Ben Swift will join the Chinese backed Lampre team for the 2017 season after six years at Sky
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Tom Dumoulin reclaims pink as Diego Ulissi solos to victory on Giro d'Italia stage four
Italian Diego Ulissi attacked on the last climb of the stage and held of a chasing peloton on tough day at the Giro d'Italia
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Lampre-Merida are trying to sign Alberto Contador for the 2017 season
Italian squad Lampre-Merida want Alberto Contador to join when his contract expires at the end of 2016 - but what chance do they have of signing him?
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Przemyslaw Niemiec wins stage one at the 2016 Tour of Turkey from solo break
Przemyslaw Niemiec launched solo from the original break and managed to stay away to win stage one at the 2016 Tour of Turkey
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Teams cast doubts on whether disc brakes caused Francisco Ventoso's Paris-Roubaix injury
Direct Energie and Lampre-Merida, the only teams using discs at Paris-Roubaix, say that their riders did not witness an incident with Ventoso
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Lampre-Merida manager not convinced Fran Ventoso's injury was caused by disc brake
The Movistar rider was reportedly injured after colliding with a disc brake at Paris-Roubaix, but Lampre-Merida manager Brent Copeland says he find that difficult to believe
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Davide Cimolai wins stage six of Volta a Catalunya as Nairo Quintana retains lead
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Lampre-Merida eyeing up talent at esteemed British junior team
VCUK's alumni includes Adam and Simon Yates, as well as Hugh Carthy and now Lampre-Merida are eyeing new young riders
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Vincenzo Nibali to Lampre? Italian team join race to sign three-time Grand Tour winner
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Orica-GreenEdge add climbing experience with signing of Ruben Plaza
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Nelson Oliveira takes the biggest win of his career on stage 13 of the Vuelta
Portuguese time trial champion Nelson Oliveira (Lampre-Merida) outfoxes the breakaway to solo to victory on stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana
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Sacha Modolo sprints to second stage win at 2015 Giro d'Italia
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Five talking points from stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia
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Sacha Modolo wins Giro d'Italia stage 13, as Fabio Aru takes pink
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Five talking points from stage seven of the Giro d'Italia
