UAE Team Emirates and their champion rider Tadej Pogacar will be looking to reinforce their position at the pinnacle of cycling when they begin defence of the Tour de France title on July 1.
Slovenian superstar Pogacar will be aiming for his third Tour de France victory in as many years, a feat that has been achieved only by cycling greats such as Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, and Chris Froome.
We caught up with him ahead of the Grand Depart in Copenhagen:
It’s been an amazing year so far for UAE Team Emirates. What are your thoughts on the performance of the team as we reach the midway point of the season? Any standout moments?
It's been a really great year so far. Not just for me but also for the team. If we start to talk about the best moments, we have to go back all the way to January at the UAE Tour. We got off to a great start there with overall victory and since then we've added many more.
Fresh from the brilliant victory in the Tour of Slovenia, how would you describe both your own performance across the stages, as well as the support and teamwork offered by your fellow UAE Team Emirates riders to produce such strong results?
We had a great weekend in Slovenia. It has been quite a while since my last race, but we had been preparing in Livigno at altitude and we knew the condition would be good coming into the race. We hit the ground running on day one and from then on we managed to grab a few more victories along the way.
How special was it being able to race in your hometown, in front of your own fans?
It was beautiful racing at home in front of home crowds. The passion for cycling in Slovenia has grown so much over the last few years and it's beautiful to be part of.
Social media went crazy over the incredible Rock, Paper, Scissors moment between Rafal Majka and yourself in deciding the winner of Stage 4. Can you tell me a little bit about how that came about and how it was received in the camp afterwards? It certainly made us smile and it was an incredible moment.
Yes, when me and Rafal played rock, paper, scissors it was a funny moment for us also. The truth is I wanted Rafal to have the victory, but he wanted me to win. As a joke we proposed to do what we did but the truth is I think both of us were just happy with the situation so if either of us won we were both happy.
Heading into the biggest race of the year – the Tour De France – I want to take you back to your first victory in 2020. What are your overriding feelings and memories from the race? How special was it to win?
Honestly as a kid it wasn't even a dream. It was beyond a dream. When I was a kid, I just dreamed about being at the Tour de France, to compete in it and be part of the great spectacle. To be able to win it was indescribable. It was very unexpected, especially in the way it was done. But it's also something I look back on very fondly and will never forget.
How did winning the Tour de France last year differ?
It is quite hard to compare the two. The way the race was played out in 2020 and 2021 was very different. The first year I took the win right at the last second and didn't wear the yellow jersey on my back for the whole race. Whereas in 2021 I took the jersey quite early and held it. This meant I had a little bit more pressure and meant there was more media attention and interviews during the race. But it was also a privilege to wear the yellow jersey each day and to ride with it through France, that is for sure!
Can you describe the feeling of standing on top of the podium on the Champs Elysees as Tour De France winner?
There are so many emotions when you stand on the podium in Paris. There is so much going on it's difficult to take it all in. Also, you are exhausted from three weeks before but you're also excited and emotional from everything that is happening. To stand there alongside the guys you have been battling with the last three weeks is really nice and it's for sure one of the nicest podiums in world sport. The only nerve-wracking part is that you have to give a speech which I must say can be tricky but it's also a nice moment to take the people who made everything possible.
Looking ahead to this year’s Tour de France, how are you feeling going into the event?
This year I can say that the preparation has gone really well. We've had the training camp and we've all done the preparation races. Now all that is left is to get the last bit of rest before we start our journey in Copenhagen.
Are there any stages that you are particularly looking to target? What are your thoughts on the combination of riders at the team’s disposal for the event?
On this year's route there are many important stages. In the Tour there are no stages where you can win the race but there are many where it can be lost. We did a reconnaissance of a lot of the important ones mainly in the Alps and the Pyrenees but also the cobbled stage to Arenberg. What I can say is that it will certainly be an entertaining Tour de France from a spectator’s perspective.
Our team line up is quite similar to previous years. It's a really strong bunch of guys and we have specialists in many different terrains which is really important for a race like the tour.
Lastly, how much do you enjoy getting back to the UAE to see your Emirati fans?
Every time we travel back to the UAE, we are amazed at how quickly cycling is developing. A big part of what we do is to try and inspire and encourage more kids to be active and get on bikes so if we can help this then we can be happy. I look forward to going back to the UAE soon and I thank you all on behalf of the team for your support which really spurs us on.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
PULITZER PRIZE 2020 WINNERS
JOURNALISM
Public Service
Anchorage Daily News in collaboration with ProPublica
Breaking News Reporting
Staff of The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky.
Investigative Reporting
Brian M. Rosenthal of The New York Times
Explanatory Reporting
Staff of The Washington Post
Local Reporting
Staff of The Baltimore Sun
National Reporting
T. Christian Miller, Megan Rose and Robert Faturechi of ProPublica
and
Dominic Gates, Steve Miletich, Mike Baker and Lewis Kamb of The Seattle Times
International Reporting
Staff of The New York Times
Feature Writing
Ben Taub of The New Yorker
Commentary
Nikole Hannah-Jones of The New York Times
Criticism
Christopher Knight of the Los Angeles Times
Editorial Writing
Jeffery Gerritt of the Palestine (Tx.) Herald-Press
Editorial Cartooning
Barry Blitt, contributor, The New Yorker
Breaking News Photography
Photography Staff of Reuters
Feature Photography
Channi Anand, Mukhtar Khan and Dar Yasin of the Associated Press
Audio Reporting
Staff of This American Life with Molly O’Toole of the Los Angeles Times and Emily Green, freelancer, Vice News for “The Out Crowd”
LETTERS AND DRAMA
Fiction
"The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday)
Drama
"A Strange Loop" by Michael R. Jackson
History
"Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America" by W. Caleb McDaniel (Oxford University Press)
Biography
"Sontag: Her Life and Work" by Benjamin Moser (Ecco/HarperCollins)
Poetry
"The Tradition" by Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press)
General Nonfiction
"The Undying: Pain, Vulnerability, Mortality, Medicine, Art, Time, Dreams, Data, Exhaustion, Cancer, and Care" by Anne Boyer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
and
"The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America" by Greg Grandin (Metropolitan Books)
Music
"The Central Park Five" by Anthony Davis, premiered by Long Beach Opera on June 15, 2019
Special Citation
Ida B. Wells
Virtual banks explained
What is a virtual bank?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.
What’s the draw in Asia?
Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.
Is Hong Kong short of banks?
No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
If%20you%20go
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
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'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
Company%20profile
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
The five pillars of Islam
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
