Fernando Gaviria: Vuelta a Espana my chance to inspire future cyclists from Colombia and UAE
Each week a cyclist from UAE Team Emirates is writing a column for The National, providing insight from the UCI World Tour and offering their thoughts on the season. This week: former Giro d'Italia points champion Fernando Gaviria
I was born in a small town called La Ceja, not far from Medellin in the middle of Colombia. For as long as I can remember, the people of Colombia have been super passionate about cycling, but my fellow countrymen haven’t always been top contenders for the general classification at grand tours or for the sprints in the biggest races.
That all started to change when Nairo Quintana won the Giro d'Italia in 2014 and, of course, last week when Egan Bernal became the first Colombian to win the yellow jersey at the Tour de France.
It was an amazing moment for every Colombian cycling fan and it will have inspired hundreds of thousands of young kids to get on bikes. Encouraging youth participation is something I am very passionate about – and it’s one of the reasons I joined UAE Team Emirates.
The whole team, from the management down to the riders, is committed to helping grow cycling and drive a culture of health and wellness in the UAE. This is important and it’s something I want to be a part of.
I might be from South America, but every time I pull on this jersey I know the positive impact my performances can have on people in the Emirates. I saw it first hand when I won a stage at the UAE Tour in February, the country went crazy – the fans, the media, the cycling community – everyone was so supportive. It was amazing to be a part of that! It's the thrill of winning but also the responsibility I feel to be the best that drives me on – it makes me train harder and want to sprint faster.
Finding my fitness
I am currently in Eastern Europe at the Tour of Poland. It’s my first race back since my knee injury and I’m starting to feel good. This has showed in my results, too. I’m still not at my best, but I managed to take a second place in Stage 1 and again in Stage 2, just missing out to Pascal Ackermann (Bora Hansgrohe) in the sprint finish in Krakow and then again to Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton Scott) in Katowice.
On Tuesday I came ninth. That was a tough sprint – my third in as many days. The finish was challenging due the wet road and the nervousness in the bunch. We came out of the last turn in a good position but I was boxed-in several times during the last 400 metres and I wasn’t able to get my sprint going. We tried our best and it didn't work out, but that's cycling. Sometimes you win. But most of the time you don’t.
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Behind-the-scenes at the Vuelta a Espana with UAE Team Emirates
UAE Team Emirates, led by Fabio Aru, at the start of the 2018 Vuelta a Espana. All images courtesy UAE Team Emirates
UAE Team Emirates sports director Matxin Fernandez with Sven Erik Bystrom and Vegard Stake Laengen after Bystrom finished second on Stage 18 of the Vuelta a Espana.
Matxin Fernandez with young cycling fans during the Vuelta a Espana.
Fabio Aru waves to the crowd after signing in ahead of Stage 20 in Andorra.
Dan Martin, who withdrew from the race with his wife due to give birth, signs autographs for fans.
UAE Team Emirates Simone Consonni with his bike ahead of a day of racing.
Sven Bystrom warms up on his bike ahead of a day of racing.
UAE Team Emirates in action during the Vuelta a Espana.
UAE Team Emirates in action while crossing through the mountains.
The UAE Team Emirates bus in position during the Vuelta a Espana
UAE Team Emirates sports director Maxtin Fernandez.
Sports director Philippe Mauduit delivers the team meeting ahead of Stage 20 in Andorra.
An aerial view of the UAE Team Emirates bus.
UAE Team Emirates rider Vegard Stake Laengen in action during the Vuelta a Espana.
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Last weekend in London, our other world class sprinter, [Alexander] Kristoff was in action. I watched some of the race back afterwards and feel bad for the team. They put in a great performance and did a lot of work at the front to make the race as difficult as possible.
But in the final two kilometres there was a big crash and Kristoff got caught up in it, losing quite a lot of ground. He put in a strong effort to get back to the front but wasn’t quite able to work with [Roberto] Ferrari to launch his sprint as it was quite a chaotic finish. Still, coming top 10 in the Ride London-Surrey Classic isn’t a bad thing.
Vuelta on the horizon
Right now, I am focused on using the Tour of Poland to build my form ahead of my first grand tour of the season. There’s just over two weeks left until the Vuelta a Espana.
It’s the first time I have ever competed in this race, so I am really looking forward to it. This year it covers nearly 3,275km of road, with a lot of climbing along the way.
However there are six flat stages for the sprinters to contend and I would love to come away with my name against one of those.
It’s an achievement that could help inspire a new generation of cyclists to take up the sport, both back home in Colombia, but also in my honorary home in the UAE.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), EsekaiaDranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), JaenBotes (Exiles), KristianStinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), EmosiVacanau (Harlequins), NikoVolavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), ThinusSteyn (Exiles)
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
