25/04/2024

"He continues to amaze me every time" - UAE manager Gianetti complements Tadej Pogacar and previews Giro d'Italia challenge

UAE Team Emirates are the ones who know best the talent that Tadej Pogacar holds, but nevertheless the Slovenian continues to surprise. Ahead of the Giro d'Italia, the team has every reason to be satisfied and confident.

“The first major change we made in Tadej's preparation was to include only nine days of competition in his program for the Giro d'Italia. We also deliberately do not plan races between Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Giro," team manager Mauro Gianetti said in an interview with Wielerflits. "We have worked much more recently on a broad basis for winning in the Grand Tours, which meant that the Classics had to be canceled. Liège has a lot of altitude meters and that fit into the planning, you can approach La Doyenne with training for the big Grand Tours. That's all we trained for."

Pedal Punditry #6 | Tadej Pogacar will only have a C-team behind him at the Giro d'Italia... But it is more than enough

Ultimately, much of Pogacar's season so far has been made of training, with the Grand Tours being the cornerstone of all the work. Despite racing few days thus far this year, he was a protagonist in all races and has won 6 out of the 10 stages/races he's done so far this year. He only did not finish on the podium on two occasions, which were the bunch sprints at the Volta a Catalunya which he dominated.

“Whether that's the best Pogacar I've ever seen? I don't know. He continues to amaze me every time. It's incredible what he creates," Gianetti says. "Sunday was an emotional day, because we knew he wanted to win especially to dedicate the victory to his wife. He not only put his legs into the race, but also his heart. Everyone knew he would attack La Redoute. He did that too, but no one could follow. Tadej was amazing.”

Roubaix legend Roger de Vlaeminck believes Tadej Pogacar would've never been able to drop him - "Pogacar isn't even half the rider Merckx was"

Heading into the Giro d'Italia, it does not seem like anyone is even remotely at the level of the Slovenian who makes his debut. "We have confidence in the Giro d'Italia, but of course the Giro remains the Giro. It is a three-week race, with often surprising twists and spectacular stages," Gianetti says, cautiously. "It is more like 21 classics than a three-week race. We must approach that course with great respect. We are working hard with the team to get to the start of the Giro with the best team to support Tadej. We take it very seriously.”

However, it is not because there is a more modest competition that UAE spared the preparation work or have indicated him to take it easier. “I assure you that we want to start the Giro d'Italia with a Tadej at 100 percent," Gianetti confirms. "You can't go to Italy with half-hearted fitness, because it won't be that easy. It will be important to manage his strength well during the Giro and to have sufficient energy left for the Tour de France. That is the challenge.”