ABU DHABI - Mubadala Investment Company, an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor, today announced its sponsorship of UAE Team Emirates, the UAE’s professional cycling champions.

The team races for and represents the UAE on the World Tour, competing in some of the biggest races around the world including the UAE Tour which is taking place across the Emirates at the end of February.

In 2020 the team claimed the biggest prize in world cycling – the Tour de France – positioning the UAE at the top of the cycling world globally.

Mubadala’s sponsorship of UAE Team Emirates, is an example of its commitment to the nation and demonstrates its continued support of sports within the community to help inspire and promote a healthy lifestyle.

It also highlights the importance of physical activity as part of overall wellness and wellbeing. The team was recently in the UAE for a training camp ahead of the 2021 cycling season and were the first group of elite athletes in Abu Dhabi to get vaccinated.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO, Chief Corporate & Human Capital Officer at Mubadala, said: "We are proud to partner with UAE Team Emirates and actively support sports and activities that have a positive impact on the local community. With this alliance, we seek to inspire the next generation of athletes to become role model ambassadors for the nation." UAE Team Emirate’s CEO and Team Principal, Mauro Gianetti, said: "We are very happy to announce our partnership with Mubadala. Mubadala has done great work for local communities and invested in local sport with the aim to encouraged healthy, balanced lifestyle. These messages are a key part of what the UAE Team Emirates project is about. This month we were fortunate to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The day after receiving the vaccines our riders were already back training and being active. The vaccine is an important step because now they are feeling safer and more protected while they train and compete.

UAE Team Emirates is a team that has a global presence and competes all over the world and we are very lucky to count on the support of Mubadala in growing our global project."

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2021.