Airline one of founding sponsorship partners of top-ranking UCI World Tour Team
Emirates Airline and UAE Team Emirates XRG have announced the extension of their partnership which will see the airline retaining its rights as one of the main naming partners of the team, in addition to the Emirates logo emblazoned on the team’s jerseys and shorts until the end of the 2028 season.
The relationship between Emirates and UAE Team Emirates XRG began in 2017, when it became the UAE’s first and only professional cycling team competing in the UCI World Tour. For the airline, it was its first foray in international cycling, and its support over the course of the last eight years has helped bring the UAE to the world stage of the sport, cementing its position as one of top nations to compete around the globe.
Since then, UAE Team Emirates XRG has become one of the top teams on the professional peloton. UAE Team Emirates XRG has over 250 international wins to its name, including three Tour de France titles, a Giro d’Italia victory, and a UCI World Championship gold medal. Over 20 UAE Team Emirates XRG riders have graced the winning podium, including Tadej Pogacar in the trifecta of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and the road race world championship.
The team also closed the 2024 season as its best ever with a staggering 81 wins, including two grand tours and a World Championship. UAE Team Emirates XRG was also the number one ranked team in the UCI World Tour in 2023 and 2024.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates Airline said: “When we began our relationship with UAE Team Emirates XRG, we knew the tremendously popular sport would be a powerful vehicle to bring Emirates closer to cycling fans around the world. It has achieved that and more. The team has raised the profile of cycling in the UAE and built a dedicated nation-wide community of avid cyclists. The UAE has also risen in the ranks to become a premier cycling powerhouse on the UCI World Tour. We’re proud to be a major contributor of that success and look forward to working with the team to take professional cycling to the next level.”
Mauro Gianetti, CEO & Team Principal, UAE Team Emirates-XRG said: “We are very excited and proud to extend this special partnership with Emirates. Since the beginning of the project in 2017 we have grown year on year to become the number one team in world cycling and this achievement has been made possible through not only the work and dedication of our riders, but the support behind and Emirates has been a key part of that progress. We are experiencing a very special period for the team and for cycling in the UAE and we hope for many more years of success together and many more victories.”
Along with naming rights and the Emirates logo on team kits, the brand will also continue to appear on team vehicles, provide hospitality experiences for customers, rider access, exclusive promotional opportunities and money can’t buy experiences, in addition to visibility on the team’s digital and social media channels.
Over the years, the airline and the team have also partnered together on several community initiatives that promote health and well-being, including rides across different Dubai landmarks during the Dubai Fitness Challenge, Emirates Group employee engagement initiatives, among other activities.
The team is gearing up to compete in the UAE Tour, a seven day, four-stage, UCI World Tour event that is taking men’s and women’s professional cycling in the region to the next level.