Abu Dhabi (AFP) - The world’s top cyclist Tadej Pogacar opens his 2025 season at the UAE Tour on Monday and says he cannot wait to ride out in his world champion’s rainbow jersey on his team’s ‘home’ soil.

The 26-year-old Slovenian is a sizzling hot favourite to bag a third title in the seven-day race following his triple crown in 2024 when he amassed the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France and the world title.

As champion the Team UAE Emirates rider will sport the eye-catching shirt all season.

“Finally, I have the rainbow jersey, it feels unreal to ride every day with it and to come here in the home country of the team with this jersey is amazing.”

Also racing is defending champion, Belgian Lennert Van Eetvelt and a host of top drawer sprinters, led by Belgian duo Tim Merlier and Jasper Philipsen who can look forward to four flat stages along the route.

There are also two mountain ones and a time trial, but Pogacar said the key to winning the race will be coping when the desert winds split the peloton on those flat stages

“I believe the biggest gaps can open in echelons in the crosswinds,” Pogacar said on Sunday.

Cross winds recently played havoc in the Saudi Arabian Al-Ula Tour, won by Tom Pidcock.

“I’m eager and motivated to start the season, I’ll give my best,” said Pogacar, who shot from obscurity to prominence on the 2020 Tour de France when he pulled off a last-gasp turn-around to win at only 21.

Another packed spring program awaits the relentless Pogacar who is slated to earn over eight million euros (8.4m dollars) in 2025.

Pogacar, who won two ultra-long monuments and two other classics last year, plans to race three monuments – Milan San-Remo, the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege – and five other classics.

“So far, I’ve started every single season with some doubts about my preparation. I hope my shape is good enough to compete at the highest level again.

“Fingers crossed that it’s like last year,” he said of 2024 when he beat arch-rival Jonas Vingegaard to the Tour after two painful misses.

It remains to be confirmed whether he will defend the Giro, but he will race the Tour de France and September’s world championships scheduled for Rwanda.

On Monday, 20 teams of seven riders embark on a 138km flat opening stage from Madinat Zayed to Liwe Palace before a 12.2km time-trial Tuesday and a mountain finish on stage three at Jebel Jais.

This is followed by three flat stages where Philipsen and Merlier take centre stage. Three other sprinters to watch are Olav Kooij, Dylan Groenewegen and Fabio Jakobsen.

Pogacar is likely to have to wrap up the win on the final seventh stage at Jebel Hafeet with Pello Bilbao of Bahrain expected to pose a challenge.

Veteran four-time former Tour de France winner Chris Froome is also on the starting roster.

The UAE Tour

Monday 17 to Sunday 23 (approx 1000km)

Stage 1 - flat

Madinat Zayed - Liwe Palace 138km

Stage 2 - TT

Around Al Hudayriyat Island 12.2km

Stage 3 - mountain

Ras al Khaimah - Jebel Jais 181km

Stage 4 - flat

Fujairah - Uum al Quwain 181km

Stage 5 - flat

Dubai - Dubai 160km

Stage 6 - flat

Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi breakwater 160km

Stage 7 - mountain

Al Ain - Jebel Hafeet 176km