"He is the best rider in the world, so when he starts, I will sacrifice myself completely" - Tim Wellens looking forward to racing alongside Pogacar in 2023
Cycling
After riding for Lotto Soudal since 2012, Tim Wellens will be joining UAE Team Emirates in 2023 and the 31-year-old is excited about the new challenge. "I stepped out of my comfort zone because I want to discover new things and win competitions that I never won."
Looking forward to the upcoming season, Wellens plans out his desire to start strong at his new team. "I would like to win a big race, although I'm not going to say which race specifically. Think of the WorldTour, preferably in Belgium... I didn't come to UAE to win another race in Mallorca," he tells In the Leiderstrui. "If I don't belong in a role to win a race, then I sacrifice myself. If I show that I can win, then I don't have to sacrifice myself.'
The main highlight for Wellens in 2023 however will be the chance to ride and race alongside Tadej Pogacar. "If I go to the final with Pogacar, anything can happen," the Belgian explains. "He is the best rider in the world, so when he starts, I will sacrifice myself completely. But I'll get my own chance if he's not here."
According to Wellens, the difference in mindset between Lotto and UAE Team Emirates is the biggest change he's having to get used to after the switch. "With other teams, it is either very quiet or very hard. I already knew that when I signed here and in the end UAE as a team is just very strong. You can say that Pogacar wins races, but the team is very good overall," he says. "I have already asked Pogacar how come he can still sprint so well after a tough race and he said that he never does sprints in training. And yet he is still so explosive."
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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