UAE Team Emirates add rising French talent to their Classics squad

UAE Team Emirates-XRG have announced the signing of Pierre Gautherat on a three-year deal.

The 23-year-old Frenchman will race with the Emirati team on a contract running from 2027 through 2029, after coming through the Decathlon CMA CGM development ranks and spending four full seasons in the WorldTour with the French team. 

“I’m very proud to be joining UAE Team Emirates-XRG. It’s a huge opportunity for me and an exciting new chapter in my career,” said Gautherat in an official statement.

UAE confirmed that Gautherat will provide depth to the team’s Classics core, while developing his own ambitions in the biggest one-day races. 

“I feel that this is the right environment for me to take another step forward, continue developing as a rider and challenge myself at the highest level,” he added. 

“I’m especially motivated by the Classics and I want to keep progressing towards the biggest races and integrate into the squad.”

Gautherat has two professional victories to his name, with his most recent coming back in March when he won Paris-Camembert from a small group sprint. 

The Frenchman marks UAE’s fourth confirmed signing ahead of the 2027 season, following Abel Balderstone’s arrival from Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, Marco Frigo’s switch from NSN, as well as Davide Stella, who will make the step to the professional ranks from the UAE Team Emirates Gen Z squad.

Gautherat will become the second French member of the squad, reuniting with former Decathlon teammate Benoît Cosnefroy. 

This comes as reports from L'Equipe indicate that fellow Frenchman Pavel Sivakov could be heading in the opposite direction after three seasons with UAE, though nothing official has been announced about the 29-year-old’s future. 

So far, only Igor Arrieta and Juan Sebastián Molano have confirmed moves away from UAE. Arrieta, who won a stage of the Giro d'Italia in May, is heading to Lidl-Trek, while Molano will race in the colours of Lotto-Intermarché. 

Additionally, Belgian champion Rune Herregodts confirmed in July that he is also set to depart the team, speaking as a guest on the Domestique Hotseat podcast, but like Sivakov, nothing official has been confirmed on his potential destination.