It’s placing that when Tim Wellens is requested to outline one standout attribute that he has grown to understand about Tadej Pogačar through the Belgian’s first season at UAE Group Emirates, it has virtually nothing to do with bike racing.
“What impresses me probably the most about him is that he all the time retains his two ft on the bottom and he doesn’t really feel higher than anybody else. And that’s despite the fact that he’s the one rider that would really feel higher than anybody else, as a result of he’s the very best rider on the planet, “ Wellens tells Cyclingnews.
“However no, he’s stayed completely regular and the way in which you see him on social media and TV is strictly the way in which he’s in actual life. He’s not taking part in a job.”
“He likes what he does, and for positive he’s very playful. However aside from being a superb rider, he’s straightforward to bond with as a result of he’s a really good particular person as effectively.”
Whereas clearly happy to be working for and with Pogačar, Wellens’ personal first 12 months at UAE Group Emirates has been a really eventful one, with a really promising early season brutally poleaxed by his main crash in Flanders.
The ensuing harm, with a collarbone damaged in 4 locations, proved to be so critical that it didn’t solely wreck Flanders and the remainder of his Classics season, nevertheless it additionally performed a component in Wellens’ failure to be chosen for the Tour de France.
Nevertheless, Wellens pulled his season again collectively together with his victory in final August’s Renewi Tour, and this winter, he’s equally decided to be each again this spring in Belgium and on the Tour de France in July. In Flanders, although, this time spherical he’ll be preventing for his personal possibilities, whereas within the Tour, as he places it, it’ll be 100% about serving to Pogačar.
“I’m principally doing the identical races as the primary a part of final 12 months, with the slight distinction that I’ll begin slightly bit later, in February somewhat than January. The explanation for that’s even earlier than I crashed in Flanders, I felt my degree was dropping off, and we don’t need that to occur once more.”
The primary main distinction will come this April after participating in round 5 Belgian Classics, he’ll lastly make his long-awaited debut at Paris-Roubaix – which comes after a complete of 28 participations so far within the 4 different Monuments.
“After that, I’ll take slightly break after which begin my build-up for the Tour de France,” Wellens says. “I’m honoured to be on the lengthy record for France with UAE with so many high names and my aim is to do some superb work for the group there. To be an actual a part of the group there.”
Remco, Tadej and the 2024 Tour de France
Wellens’ apparent disappointment at lacking out on the Tour in 2023 is tempered slightly, maybe, by the data that this 12 months’s route, with its unprecedented end in Good, is one which he relishes. Or as he states categorically, “I find it irresistible.”
“It’s partly as a result of I stay in Monaco, not so removed from the end, so it’s good to suppose I can do the final stage on the final day after which trip residence on my bike,” he says. “The one approach it’d be even nicer was if it additionally went via Belgium within the first week. However both approach, it’s actually a pleasant Tour.
“These off-road sections of the Tour subsequent July [on stage 9-Ed.] are one thing I’ve all the time favored to do, too, and even when hopefully no person will lose time there by crashing, there are lots of alternative ways to lose the Tour in that stage.
“For those who crash since you’re in fiftieth place, for instance, then you definitely’ve crashed since you had been too far again. However you probably have a flat tyre, then after all, no person desires that to occur…”
Two different vital particular components within the 2024 Tour are that the variety of standout favourites will double, from two to 4, given each Primoz Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) are anticipated to affix Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) and Pogačar on the startline in Florence.
“I believe it’ll be nicer to observe on tv as a result of there will likely be extra of a contest,” Wellens causes.
He additionally agrees that whereas he is aware of which of the ‘Massive 4’ he’s placing his cash on, there’s a sure Belgian who’s in with greater than a shout of ending in yellow in Good as effectively.
“For positive Remco’s received an enormous probability, even when it’s not as huge as Tadej,” Wellens argues earlier than including with a smile, “although perhaps I’m biased.
“However actually, no person doubts Remco, not about what he can do within the Tour. If he can win the Vuelta a España, then after all he can win the Tour.”
The Giro-Tour double
Victorious within the 2022 Vuelta, Evenepoel’s efficiency following his debacle within the opening Pyrenean stage proved that, aside from successful a Grand Tour, he additionally knew the right way to bounce again from a critical setback. And Wellens, too, has had his personal expertise of doing that after his main harm in Flanders: that is to the purpose the place even when he missed out on the Tour de France, he nonetheless feels 2023 was successful.
“Final 12 months was an excellent one,” he says, weighing up the professionals and cons of a season he defines as a rollercoaster.
“For positive, Flanders was a sophisticated collarbone crash. It wasn’t not simply damaged, it principally exploded after which one month later I needed to have it [the injury] re-opened to repair it for good.”
“In order that was disappointing, it was the primary time I ever broke a bone in my skilled profession and I can’t suggest it. Usually when any individual breaks their collarbone, individuals say ‘Yeah, it’s nothing particular.’ However now I’ve lived via the ache you might have when that occurs – and for me, it was very disagreeable.
“Even so, the primary a part of the 12 months was superb, I felt at residence with the group and after one 12 months right here, I can say UAE was a superb discovery.
“The coaching went effectively, I used to be racing at a excessive degree and we had a variety of enjoyable in races. I used to be actually pleased with the job I needed to do with the group and” – at Andalucia earlier than his crash and within the Renewi Tour outright afterwards – “I gained myself. So I can’t complain.”
Furthemore, if Wellens’ private appreciation of his new group chief after one season can be clear, he’s additionally had a ringside seat relating to witnessing Pogačar’s qualities as a rider. Additionally, proper from the phrase go, given when Pogačar took his first win of 2023 within the Clásica Jaén, Wellens completed third.
However there was extra of the identical within the weeks and months to return. Within the subsequent Vuelta a Andalucia after Jaén, the place Pogačar as soon as once more dominated the roost, Wellens additionally captured his personal stage win – curiously sufficient, within the westerly city of Alcalá de los Gazules, on the identical uphill cobbled end the place Wellens had twice triumphed earlier than in 2018 and 2019.
Wellens then fashioned a part of Pogačar’s successful group in Paris-Good, raced once more with the Slovenian in Milano-Sanremo and E3 Harelbeke, and previous to crashing, was alongside Pogačar on the day that the UAE chief took the primary cobbled Monument of his profession.
Quick ahead to 2024, then, and it’s perhaps no shock that with that depth of information of Pogačar’s ambition, Wellens is satisfied that Pogačar has what it takes to turn out to be the primary rider in 26 years to win each the Giro d’Italia – the place Wellens has two stage wins himself – and the Tour de France in a single 12 months.
“I believe the group could be very sensible and relating to this problem, they know what they’re doing. They’re not simply doing it no matter,” he causes.
“He’s proved three years in a row that he’s the very best rider on the planet and so there’s nobody higher who may attempt to do it. So if anyone can do this [win both Giro and Tour], it’s Tadej.”
And it goes with out saying, too, that if Pogačar rolls into Good in yellow subsequent summer season, then Wellens’ lone trip residence alongside the coast to Monaco after the Tour has ended will likely be much more particular.
