The Emirates News Agency reported that UAE Team Emirates-XRG will open its campaign at the 205.5-kilometre Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec on Friday before competing in the 214.6-kilometre Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal on Sunday alongside leading riders from around the world. The team’s lineup for the Canadian events includes Brandon McNulty, Isaac del Toro, Felix Großschartner, Jhonatan Narváez, Florian Vermeersch, Tim Wellens and Adam Yates under sports director Simone Pedrazzini. The races mark Mexican rider Isaac del Toro’s first appearance on Canadian soil after his recent success at the Tour de Luxembourg while American Brandon McNulty returns to Montréal as defending champion.
The agency noted that UAE Team Emirates-XRG will seek its first victory at the GP de Québec after a second-place finish by Pavel Sivakov in the previous season. The Montréal course features climbs including the Côte de Camilien-Houde, Côte de Polytechnique and Côte Pagnuelo with a total elevation gain of 4,362 metres. These demanding conditions provide a key test ahead of the World Championships later in September.
According to the report, the team will then head to Italy for three consecutive races starting with the Coppa Sabatini on Thursday followed by the Memorial Marco Pantani on Saturday and the Trofeo Matteotti on Sunday. The squad has won the past three editions of the Coppa Sabatini through Marc Hirschi in 2023 and 2024 and Isaac del Toro in 2025. Sports directors Fabio Baldato and Marco Marzano will oversee the Italian campaign.
The team’s official website stated that UAE Team Emirates-XRG concluded its 2025 season with a record 97 victories surpassing the previous benchmark of 85 wins set by Team Columbia-HTC in 2009. A total of 20 different riders contributed to those victories demonstrating the depth across the roster. The squad also claimed the UCI WorldTeam ranking for the third consecutive season.
Team figures show that Tadej Pogačar maintained his position as the world’s top cyclist for a fifth year by winning the Tour de France and securing multiple Monument victories during the 2025 campaign. Isaac del Toro finished runner-up at the Giro d’Italia and collected 16 wins while João Almeida placed second overall at the Vuelta a España with seven stage victories for the team. These achievements underscored the consistent performance that has defined the Emirati outfit in recent years.
The Emirates News Agency added that the Canadian and Italian races will allow the team to refine its strategies and form in the lead-up to the global event. Success in these competitions could build momentum for the squad’s World Championships objectives. The events also align with the team’s broader goal of maintaining its standing among the top professional cycling outfits.
