127 days have handed since Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) final pinned on a race quantity however the world champion might be again in motion on Monday as he opens his 2025 account on the UAE Tour.
Despite teasing the biking world about Paris-Roubaix with a video of him driving by the Forest of Arenberg and rumours {that a} return to the Vuelta a España might be imminent, Pogačar stored all his playing cards near his chest within the pre-UAE Tour press convention, opting to focus solely on the seven-day stage race that begins on Monday with a gap stage for the sprinters.
“It was actually enjoyable to do the recon, and I loved loads, however yeah, let’s concentrate on the UAE Tour now, not Roubaix,” stated Pogačar at a pre-race press convention at Colnago Concept Store in Abu Dhabi attended by Cyclingnews.
“Also concerning the Vuelta I can not affirm something.”
Despite his standing as the massive favorite for total victory on the UAE Tour, Pogačar was sometimes modest as he fielded questions through the brief press occasion earlier than heading out to a crowd gathered for a ‘meet and greet’.
“I feel I begin each single season with some doubts – if the preparation was good, if the form goes to be sufficient to compete on the highest stage once more,” he admitted.
“But yeah, let’s cross our fingers that this 12 months might be similar to any 12 months earlier than.”
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Tadej Pogačar spoke earlier than the 2025 UAE Tour
UAE Team Emirates Sports Manager Joxean Fernández Matxin was much less evasive about Pogačar’s early-season 2025 type.
He is effectively conscious that the number-one-ranked rider on the earth is able to race. Pogačar has not ridden the UAE Tour since 2022 however it’s the workforce’s house race, with excessive expectations from sponsors and native followers.
“He’s in good situation, as at all times,” Matxin instructed Cyclingnews. “I do not know, perhaps if it is much like the Tour de France, nevertheless it’s a very good situation.”
With the UAE Tour set to be determined through the stage 2 time trial and the mountain finishes to Jebel Jais and Jebel Hafeet on phases 3 and seven respectively, Matxin acknowledged the nerves surrounding the racing within the UAE. Echelons and crashes are at all times potential within the UAE desert and particularly within the 4 quick dash phases.
“This is a race that’s nervous and it is vital to remain protected when there might be echelons, crosswinds and sophisticated conditions,” Matxin stated.
“It’s additionally vital to not crash, touchwood, so we’ll attempt to the entrance place, a protected place and after that the race might be determined within the two mountain phases and the time trial.”
Pogačar equally noticed crosswinds and echelons as the largest menace to him including a 3rd title within the UAE to his palmares, admitting that he felt the 12km race towards the clock would not be a lot of a deciding issue.
“The TT is vital, however I do not suppose there’s going to be huge time variations, perhaps two seconds,” Pogačar predicted.
“I feel yearly, all of the GC riders are focusing loads on TT, and right here it’s not tremendous lengthy, it is fairly flat and never technical, so I do not suppose there’s gonna be huge gaps there. The largest gaps can open within the echelons and on the climbs.”
To attempt to be finest ready for the potential of the race opening up within the wind, Pogačar will depend on “Belgian energy” within the type of new signings Florian Vermeersch and Rune Herregodts.
Alongside him is a robust squad that can goal all seven phases are sprinter Juan Sebastián Molano, Mikkel Bjerg, Jay Vine, and Domen Novak.
Matxin described the roster as “Good riders for round Tadej to defend within the difficult moments.”
