"Being at the start of a race with Tadej will of course be special" - Rune Herregodts on debut for UAE Team Emirates and scheduled race with Pogacar
Cycling
UAE Team Emirates looked to sign a few riders this winter who specialize on racing in the classics and are true powerhouse figures, who can control races on the flat but also be key in positioning battles. Amongst them is Rune Herregodts who comes in from Intermarché - Wanty to fill in a new role, but one he is quite happy with.
"At Intermarché-Wanty they had to weigh up whether or not to invest in something. They did that really well, by the way. But at UAE they have to make those choices much less often. That's a big difference," Herregodts shared with Sporza. "For me it was no big surprise that they offered me a contract, because I knew that the team had been following me for a while, before 2024 I had already been in contact with UAE manager Matxin. The first real conversations took place during the Tour".
The Belgian, winner of the ZLM Tour this year, enjoyed the freedom and chances he had in Intermarché but ultimately the chance to race for the top team in the cycling world doesn't come often. He signed a two-year deal and may well have his chances too taking into consideration the team's extended calendar - which allowed for over 20 riders to win this year, two thirds of the team.
"I had a great time there and did not absolutely want to leave. So I had to think about the offer from UAE. But when the best team in the world comes knocking with a great project, it is logical that you want to seize that opportunity," he explains.
He shares that he will race the UAE Tour in February and here will team up with the World Champion already. "I will try to help Pogacar to the final victory there. The flat time trial in that race is my first personal goal. In the races below the top races I will also occasionally be allowed to take my chance, if the legs are there of course."
On the Slovenian, leader of the UCI ranking and winner of many races this year, he commeted: "I think the journalists and the outside world are more concerned with that than we, the riders. The first time I met him here, it was perhaps a bit special. But after a few times, he is just "one of the guys. But being at the start of a race with Tadej will of course be special. Because you know that Tadej has a good chance of winning that race."
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- I hope he rides a bitmij15-11-2026
- Greatest athlete this world has ever produced ! LOL ... you definitely are a comdian ! Cycling is so sprecialized and you think he's the greatest athlete ever ! Still laughing !frieders315-11-2026
- b.s. headline. Jonas wasn't told anything, it is just a pundit telling him what to do. the actual article is not even close to the insinuation of the headline.mij15-11-2026
- I think Roglic could have beaten Sepp. not Jonas. I was referring to Sepp.mij15-11-2026
- I'm deeply sick of this guy and his unwillingness to race seriously for more than a month or two. I'll never respect riders who do that. Seixas will be stronger than him next season, and maybe Del Toro as well. I don't even think he'll finish on the podium at any GT where Pogi, Seixas, and Del Toro are racing.megasmacky15-11-2026
- Not a chance in hell.megasmacky15-11-2026
- If you go watch some races from last season other riders that have never caught Jonas...are now catching him. Some are just riding away from him and he can't hold the wheelmd197514-11-2026
- He just doesn't have the desire anymore. I read an article earlier today that said he almost retired last year. His reasoning was he is away from home to much. Visma was able to keep him riding by allowing him to skip certain camps. So, while currently Visma is doing altitude work...Jonas is at home. Which means 2 things. 1- He maybe fresher than other riders. But, not the condition. 2-Is a somewhat slap in the face to others on the team that are supposed to help him win. Yet feel like he hasn't done what they have so perhaps they don't provide as good of protection or they ride more for theme (which the team may not notice).md197514-11-2026
- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
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