Blow for Tadej Pogacar as world champion's trusted personal soigneur departs UAE Team Emirates
Cycling
UAE Team Emirates - XRG have been dealt a quiet but meaningful blow to the core of Tadej Pogacar’s inner circle, with long-serving personal soigneur Joseba Elguezabal leaving the squad to join Athletic Club’s backroom staff.
Elguezabal, 44, has been one of the closest day-to-day figures around the reigning world champion since Pogacar first arrived at the Emirati setup. His departure marks the latest example of cycling expertise crossing over into elite football, continuing a trend that has emerged across the past two seasons.
A key figure in Pogacar’s camp moves on
Elguezabal’s switch to football comes amid a broader pattern of crossover between the two worlds. Visma director Merijn Zeeman left the Dutch WorldTour squad to join AZ Alkmaar, part of the wider trend of cycling staff transitioning into elite football. Similarly, former Pogacar performance coach Inigo San Millan returned to his roots by joining Athletic Club as director of performance.
For UAE, however, this latest transition cuts far closer to home. Elgezabal has been a constant presence at Pogacar’s side at races, routinely the first member of staff to reach him at the finish line — a role that, in cycling, extends well beyond straightforward logistical support. His familiarity with the rider’s routines, physical cues, mood and immediate recovery needs made him one of the most trusted individuals in the Slovenian’s environment.
Sources inside UAE described to AS the offer from Athletic Club as “a unique opportunity” for Elguezabal’s professional trajectory. He leaves behind a very small and stable circle built around Pogacar, with figures such as press officer Luke Maguire also forming part of the same trusted bubble.
A subtle shift in Pogacar’s inner circle
Although soigneurs rarely make headlines, their absence is felt immediately inside a team environment. Replacing someone so embedded in Pogacar’s day-to-day rhythm — from finish-line routines to recovery management — presents UAE with a delicate task at a time when marginal gains and micro-processes have never been more decisive.
Elguezabal will now immerse himself fully in football, trading post-stage duties for life inside Athletic’s technical setup. For Pogacar and UAE, the focus shifts to integrating a successor seamlessly as their world champion prepares for yet another season carrying the heaviest expectations in the sport.
As Athletic celebrate another strategic hire, UAE Team Emirates must rebuild a crucial support position — all while ensuring the stability of the environment that has underpinned Pogacar’s success.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
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