Adam Yates looking to take leading opportunities at UAE Team Emirates - "You can’t just have one leader all of the time"

Adam Yates has for the last few seasons had an important position at INEOS Grenadiers, and he's transitioning into a different team however with a similar role at UAE Team Emirates. He discussed his expectations for the upcoming season in a recent interview.

“We have one big superstar in Tadej, and we have a lot of young guys who have a lot of potential. But you can’t just have one leader all of the time," Yates said in a press conference at the team's current base in Alicante where it's hosting it's first pre-season traiing camp. "Who knows if they need me to do something. If someone gets injured then I can step in. Just because I’ve changed teams doesn’t mean I’ve gone down a level, it’s still the same as before."

Yates has joined INEOS in 2021. In his career he's taken wins in races such as the Volta a Catalunya and UAE Tour making him one of the best stage-racers in the world, aswell as the Clasica San Sebastian earlier in his career. With multiple strong climbers, he's had a mixed role with INEOS this season where he would lead some races, co-lead others, and support in others, and in 2023 that will continue.

“It’s the same situation as at Ineos. There are a lot of good riders at a high level and we always went to Grand Tours with two options, sometimes three options, and I think that’s the way the sport is going," he commented. With Tadej Pogacar, João Almeida, Juan Ayuso, Brandon McNulty and Jay Vine all present, Yates will definitely have to fight for the ultimate support of his team and management.

“It’s so easy for something to happen, or for someone to have a crash, so it’d be silly these days to invest that much money into riders and not have a second option," he added. The 30-year old is looking to benefit from the unknown, and be consistent throughout the year. As long as he performs to his normal level, those opportunities will arise.

“I’m not really bothered by what [races] they put me in. Obviously I’d like to go to the big races and try and show myself, but we’ve got some big riders here who can win big races so we will see," Yates said. This year he's won the Deutschland Tour, finished second at the UAE Tour and fourth in Paris-Nice - aswell as carrying serious form over the Canadian classics where he finished 7th and 4th respectively.

“When I race, I race 100%, no matter what race it is. Ok, maybe it’s not gone 100% perfect for the Grand Tours, but when I am at my best, I am amongst the best," he said. However, illness brought him down at his only Grand Tour of the year, as he fell from 5th to 9th at the Tour de France after a rough final week. "As long as I keep ticking all of the boxes, keep doing what I am doing, then the results will come. Last year I had a lot of bad luck with illness at key moments - I could have done a lot better.”

“You like what you’re good at. I am pretty good at one week stuff. That is what I am good at and have been good at in the past. A good example is Richie Porte. He’s won almost every race you can on the calendar. Ok, he’s not won a Grand Tour, but you can’t say he wasn’t one of the best stage racers in the world," the Briton argued, presenting results that showcase him as a very similar rider. 

In 2023 however he tackles a different challenge. At UAE Team Emirates the work will be different: “The coaches here have different coaching techniques but they said to me, ‘don’t change anything’ keep doing what I have been doing for the last few years. I’m not young anymore, I’m getting older, I’ve been around the block a few times so I guess I know what I am doing to an extent. I just need a nudge here and there to get the best out of me.”

"...I felt like the time was to change,” he admited. "From the moment we started speaking, they [UAE] had a plan. They already knew what they wanted to do with me to an extent and for me that is the most important thing. Them knowing what they want from me and knowing they trust me and support me - that’s the main thing," Yates believes. "We only spoke briefly and within a week of talking we sat down and started talking about a contract."

With a three-year contract, a lot of trust has been deposited on Yates. He responded to that duration and the reasons behind it. “I asked if they would agree to three years because at Ineos and my last two years at Mitchelton it was always two years. You do your first year and then in February and March you’re already thinking about your contract so I said to the team, ‘listen, let me settle down, let’s work together, come up with a plan, and then make something happen’. From the beginning they trusted me to do that and hopefully it’ll work out," he concluded.