My favourite race of the year is just around the corner and I can’t wait to return home and build on the amazing momentum the team has from winning the Tour de France.
The Giro d’Italia has always been special to me as I get to head back to Italy and race in front of my own fans, friends and family. It will obviously be a little different this year with less spectators, but I am more motivated than ever to do well.
The Giro is well known for its long, high mountain stages in the Alps and Dolomites and, just like the Tour de France, spread over 21 gruelling stages.
We will start in Monreale on Saturday with a strong team and look to be as competitive as possible. Personally, I look forward to the hilly stages and climbs the most as they are well suited to my size and attributes. Being agile and using my savvy should help me in these stages.
This year we will face three-time trials, including one on the final day in Milan which could make a big difference in the GC standings, just like we saw in the Tour de France with Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic.
My memories of the Giro are very satisfying and it always make me smile when thinking about it.
Last year I put in one of my most memorable performances since joining UAE Team Emirates and I hope to do the same this time. I managed to keep hold of the revered pink jersey for six days in some really tough weather.
It was not easy to keep the pink jersey for that long and it was a big achievement for the entire team at the time. Every stage is hard, so we had to be ready at our best every single day. Everything was thoroughly well-planned, and we got our tactics spot on. I think we took everyone by surprise - something that may not be the case this year.
After Tadej’s Tour de France win, teams will now be looking at us as one of the main teams to beat. The experience we gained last year puts us in good stead for the race and I feel prepared to do well.
Funnily enough, it was my teammate Jan Polanc who rose to the top of the GC and took the pink jersey from me last year and kept it for a further two days. I was of course delighted for Jan as he has done a lot of work for me in the past and I hope we can work together this year to bring the Maglia Rosa home.
I had a wonderful race last year but was I unfortunately forced to abandon early because of an injury that hampered my pedalling. This is not how I want my Giro to end. I will always remember the days I spent in pink and they will motivate me to go even further.
My goal this year is to help the team, to win stages and wear the pink jersey again. It has been a somewhat different year because of Covid but I am ecstatic the team did well during this year’s Tour the France.
It’s incredible to think that the team is only three years old and we’ve already got a Tour de France win under our belts. The future is very bright and we’re all very excited to be a part of such an incredible project.
Hopefully we can bring that team spirit to Italy. I am super proud of Pogacar, he was unstoppable during the Tour and I hope I can show my family and fans the same at the Giro.
We know it will be a difficult tour this year. We have a strict calendar with lots of races in a short time. I want to thank the team that has become a family. I have special gratitude for them; they have faith in me, and I will do my best.
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Company%20profile
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Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
