If he crashes the season, stringing together victories like never before, Tadej Pogacar can expect to suffer, according to his sporting director.
Twenty-five victories including the Tour de France, the Tour of Italy and a world champion title: Tadej Pogacar entered the annals of cycling in 2024, dominating the season like few riders in history. So much so that some already see him as the greatest runner in history, even above the legend Eddy Merckx, the Belgian even overtaking the Slovenian.
For many, Tadej Pogacar will crush the peloton again next season. But Fernandez Matxin, the senior sporting director of the UAE Team Emirates, urges caution, convinced that Jonas Vingegaard will pose a real threat to his leader. For the manager, tennis is versatile enough to have to be wary.
“Nothing is certain”
« Nothing is acquired. Five years ago it looked like the one who would win five Tours in a row was Egan Bernal, he began in an interview with Cyclinguptodate. Then Tadej won, we didn’t know if he was going to win the next one. After winning the second, Tadej was announced as the one who would win six Tours in a row. But in the end, Vingegaard won the next two and it was he who was presented as the future winner of six Tours in a row. This means that every year can be different, and even more so with injuries.
Fernandez Matxin therefore expects a big reaction from Jonas Vingegaard and his entire team. “ Were we angry when we didn’t win the Tour and did things much better to win? Yes. What will Jonas do? Clearly the same, he asserted. We couldn’t sleep, we couldn’t feel comfortable… Vingegaard is going to have this need, this anger, this extra motivation to be able to do things. »
Belgium
