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"I dream of winning a cobblestone classic with UAE Team Emirates XRG. Something that was not possible at INEOS" - Jonathan Narváez

Cycling
by Rúben Silva
Friday, 03 January 2025 at 11:06
jhonatannarvaez
Jhonatan Narváez has shown clear evolution over the past few years at INEOS Grenadiers and became a quality puncheur - who beat Tadej Pogacar directly at the opening stage of the Giro d'Italia this year. With UAE Team Emirates - XRG now however he hopes to get freedom in the cobbled classics, and battle the likes of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert
"I would like to win more and I dream of winning a cobblestone classic with UAE Team Emirates XRG. Something that was not possible at INEOS" the Ecuadorian champion told Sporza. Although he has a much stronger block in the Emirati team, he seemingly did not have the space he wanted in the Belgian races.
This year Narváez was 6th at the E3 Saxo Classic and raced Gent-Wevelgem, before taking a break and preparing for the Giro d'Italia where he wore the pink jersey after his win on the opening day. In previous years he's raced Flanders some times but hasn't finished inside the Top20.

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On the tarmac, the 27-year old has proven to be one of the very best in the world. But he doesn't just want to settle with that: "I actually prepare every year with the aim of following Van der Poel and Van Aert in the cobbled classics. If you can't beat Van der Poel and Van Aert alone, you can succeed as a team. With UAE Team Emirates XRG, we have a strong core for the Flemish races. We have several cards to play."
This year Tadej Pogacar will race the cobbled classics including Flanders so it will be every hard for him to have a leading role in the team, but this could potentially happen in the future, whilst he may have freedom in other World Tour classics. "I won't say it's impossible to win the Tour of Flanders one day, but it will be very difficult. I would be very satisfied with a podium," he concludes.

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8 Comments
abstractengineer 03 January 2025 at 12:21+ 3140

Thats just stupid. Ineos where there were no leaders for cobbles except Piddie who never came in the top, if he had performed, he would have got his chances. At UAE, he is not going to be Top dog over Pogi

alsene 03 January 2025 at 15:39+ 64

What's your comment about ? Tadej is only going to do E3, Gent Wevelgem and Flanders. The other guys are going to have chances at the other classics, Omloop, Kurne, Salmin, Antwerp... And some other cobbled classics.

Mistermaumau 03 January 2025 at 17:56+ 3552

Have you seen his schedule already?

alsene 03 January 2025 at 22:57+ 64

According to his official schedule NARVÁEZ is going to race Omloop, Kurne, E3, Dwars door vlaanderen, and Flanders. Obviously he's going to support tadej in some of those but most likely will get his chance at the others where tadej doesn't go.

Mistermaumau 04 January 2025 at 01:34+ 3552

I was hoping to see Tadej’s and understood you’d seen THAT.

alsene 05 January 2025 at 14:05+ 64

I have, full cobbled classics as opposed to van aert who will only do Omloop, Kurne, Flanders and PR. Most likely to avoid crashes

Mistermaumau 05 January 2025 at 15:08+ 3552

Thanks, that’s a lot of cobbles for Pog, training for a Paris-Roubaix?

alsene 05 January 2025 at 16:08+ 64

Hopefully, he'll have to gain a few kilos for PR though

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