UAE Team Emirates has tapped Tadej Pogačar to lead the UAE Tour despite the young Slovenian having just recovered from COVID-19.

Pogačar won last year's UAE Tour and won the summer Tour de France for the second year in a row. While a local win is very important, the team and Pogachar will face serious competition from Adam Yates (Ineos Grenadiers), Alexandre Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), Jack Hague (Bahrain Victorious), and Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo Visma).

Pogachar will be supported by Rafal Mayka and new teammates and talented climbers Joanne Almeida and George Bennett. Mikel Bjarg and Maximiliano Richeze will support newcomer Pascal Ackermann in sprints after Fernando Gaviria tested positive for the third time COVID-19 before the UAE trip.

This year's UAE Tour will be held February 20-26 and will feature four flat stages in the exposed desert, two mountain stages, and a 9km individual time trial on the third stage. The overall winner will be decided by a mountain finish on the summit of Jebel Hafit on the final stage.

"I'm really looking forward to the season starting and am very motivated. The last few months have been almost perfect, we had a small setback in Covid a couple of weeks ago, but fortunately it didn't really affect my preparation and I feel good," Pogachar said when UAE Team Emirates named its seven riders.

"I am confident to lead the team, but I also know what Joao is capable of. We have been training together a lot lately and we know each other very well, so if he is strong enough to win I will be happy. Rafal Maika is also really flying right now. The important thing is to defend our title in our home race."

"The most important stages are the time trial and the two mountain finishes on the last day in Jebel Jais and Jebel Hafit. Last year we had a big crosswind from the start of the first stage. So I think it's going to be a really good race from a spectator's point of view and I can't wait for the start."

Under the UCI's COVID-19 medical protocol, riders who test positive for the virus must undergo a series of heart and lung tests before they can compete in the race.

Pogachar and his teammates were among the first riders vaccinated in early 2021, and according to his coach, Inigo San Millán, he received a second vaccination last summer.

"Taddei tested positive for the virus and showed mild symptoms," medical director Dr. Adrian Rotunno revealed last week.

"In accordance with guidelines and for the sake of his health and the greater community, he underwent a mandatory quarantine and recovery period before resuming light training.

After the UAE tour, Pogachar is expected to head to Italy to compete in both the Strade Bianche and the Milan-San Remo and Tirreno-Adriatico races before heading to Flanders via Dwars door Hlaanderen.

Title defenses at La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège are also on his spring schedule before he focuses on preparations for the Tour de France.