"I dream of winning a cobblestone classic with UAE Team Emirates XRG. Something that was not possible at INEOS" - Jonathan Narváez
Cycling
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.
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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- Depends, the guy is known for it, some let him others clearly tell him where to stick it. You didn’t watch it did you? I’m sure in some cases he kind of asks and why should a rider mind someone riding behind during normal rides, it’s kind of the norm in this sport. On the other hand, if you’re busy concentrating on a specific training session, obviously anything is going to distract you and the guy has to respect that. Yes, he’s kind of tacky but no worse than any paparazzi, and he has made this his “profession” it seems. Like you say, no class at all.Mistermaumau04-01-2025
- And haven’t we kind of forgotten, a certain WVA, no-one is analysing what he could add to the sauce.Mistermaumau04-01-2025
- Yes, you have to respect him for a few things and call him out on others. He obviously didn’t see the need to progress over the years from his comment on “normal” men, had he said an old-fashioned 70y old it would have gone down positively.Mistermaumau04-01-2025
- Everyone on Armstrong's team doped. It was a prerequisite for joining and getting the big money.Sweep04-01-2025
- Happy for him he can see he’s still got it after all those difficulties.Mistermaumau04-01-2025
- He telling the truth, he is outspoken, like him or not he's brought a lot to cycling.awp04-01-2025
- Nice!awp04-01-2025
- He could potentially win the Giro again, although if Jonas races the Giro he would have to have sickness or a bad crash to let Primoz pass him, but the Tour is out of his sights, he missed his chance in 2020. Too much top competition at the Tour, but he could possibly score a top five but more realistically a top ten at his age.awp04-01-2025
- a hello and selfie is fine, but 19 mins of filmed stalking, seriously?? absolutely ridiculous. no class. training is part of their jobs, leave them be. stop turning them against the fans. effing idiot.BalberdoBonkador04-01-2025
- A very good mental victory for Wout tooRide197404-01-2025