UAE Team Emirates has confirmed that the roster for 2025 has been completed with 29 riders after former junior world champion Julius Johansen signed a one・year contract.

It's a welcome return to Dane's world tour after his time at Intermarché-Wanty ended at the end of the 2023 season. He has been racing for the Portuguese continental team Sabgal-Anicolor since May 3 and describes this transition to the UAE as "a dream come true."

Johansen is a powerful time trial rider and should fit into any UAE race roster as a solid domestique. After winning the World Junior Road Race in 2017, his career did not take off as expected, but he now has a second chance to find his potential

"I am very grateful for the trust that Team Emirates of the United Arab Emirates has placed in me and for giving me this wonderful opportunity. To join such a professional and successful team is the realization of a dream," said the 25-year-old.

"I know this is the perfect environment for me to grow and develop as a rider under the guidance of the team's experts. Being part of a winning culture like this is really exciting and I'm excited to help the team achieve a lot of wins. I am ready to give it all to me."

Johansen is the UAE's fifth new contract for the 2025 season after Jhonatan Narváez, Florian Vermeersch, Rune Herregodts and development team graduate Pablo Torres have already been announced.

"I'm very happy to have Julius on the team. He already has a lot of experience at the WorldTour level and I feel that his profile can add strength to the team when it comes to supporting our leaders," said Mauro Gianetti, the team's principal and CEO.

The UAE's main focus is on leader Tadeji Poganyal, who repeats his absolute advantage shown for the 2024 season. But along with several other leaders such as Adam Yates, João Almeida and Juan Ayuso, they always need more domestiques like Johansen. 

He joins compatriot Mikkel Bjerg and fellow Scandinavian Vegard Stake Laengen in a powerful engine room.