UAE Team Emirates director Mauro Gianetti said it was "too early to speak about the Tour de France" after star rider Tadej Pogacar suffered a broken wrist during Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege cycling classic.
Pogacar, 22, has been in irrepressible form this season, the Slovenian registering 12 victories including significant wins in the Paris-Nice, Tour of Flanders, Vuelta a Andalucia, Amstel Gold Race, and La Fleche Wallonne.
The two-time Tour de France champion was once again favourite to add to his haul in Belgium on Sunday, but a crash 85km into the race saw him withdraw, and the team doctor confirmed Pogacar had been taken to a hospital in Genk to undergo scans and surgery.
"[Pogacar] suffered fractures to the left scaphoid and lunate bones," Dr Adrian Rotunno, UAE Team Emirates medical director, said. "The scaphoid will require surgery which he will undergo this afternoon with a specialist hand surgeon here in Genk."
A few hours later, Dr Rotunno added: "The surgery on [Pogacar]'s scaphoid was successful and he will travel home tomorrow for recovery and rehabilitation."
Pogacar, the world's top-ranked road cyclist, is not scheduled to race again until the Tour de France at the start of July, although his wrist injury will raise concerns about his preparation.
"We are crossing our fingers that he will recuperate quickly," Gianetti said. "It's too early to speak about the Tour de France."
Pogacar's crash denied fans the chance of a rare head-to-head with Remco Evenepoel, who won the race to retain his title.
World champion Evenepoel broke away with 30km to go when Tom Pidcock refused an offer to work together. Evenepoel shrugged, powered away and finished the 258km race in 6hrs 15min 49sec with Pidcock second 1min 06sec behind, outsprinting Santiago Sanchez in third.
The Soudal-Quick Step rider won the race last year in a similar manner, and on both occasions was enthusiastically cheered home by the crowds.
"It's magnificent to win here again, above all in this beautiful jersey," said the 23-year-old Belgian, pointing at his world champion's rainbow striped jersey.
"You never like to hear that horrible sound, see another rider fall," said Evenepoel of Pogacar's crash.
"The road was slippery, I send him my best wishes."
Community Shield info
Where, when and at what time Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday at 5pm (UAE time)
Arsenal line up (3-4-2-1) Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck; Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Chelsea line up (3-4-2-1) Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Pedro; Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
Referee Bobby Madley
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
