"I was a little skeptical at first, but now he's one of my best friends" - Pogacar praises ex-teammate's mentor skills
CyclingFriday, 07 August 2026 at 23:00
Back in 2020, UAE Team Emirates - XRG still had a long way to becoming the world's best team. Tadej Pogacar had just won his first Tour de France. For the following season, the Emirati team has made several moves on the transfer market, among which the arrivals of Matteo Trentin, Rafal Majka and Marc Hirschi (and later in the season Juan Ayuso) stood out.
At the time, 2019 World Championships runner-up Trentin (behind Mads Pedersen) was among the biggest names of Classics peloton. And as such, then 32-year-old Trentin arrived on a large contract, appropriate to a top-5 contender in cobbled races.
From the perspective of Pogacar, it's not hard to see why it was an odd investment, since you'd expect the team to invest more into a support team into mountains for its historically first Grand Tour winner. Instead, they brought an experienced classics specialist on a three-year deal.
"When he first joined the team, I was a little skeptical," Pogacar commented during the Tour 202 Podcast. "Now I say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover."
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But Pogacar's perception of Trentin quickly changed as soon as the two leading figures of 2021 UAE Team Emirates made first contact.
Key to discovering Flanders
And as Pogacar shifted his focus to spring Classics, the experienced Trentin by his side became invaluable. Both as a teammate and as a mentor who contributed to the Slovenian's first Tour of Flanders title in 2023.
Matteo Trentin in UAE jersey at Tour of Flanders
Three years later, the Slovenian has won the Flanders three times already. And Trentin's help during those early steps has largely contributed to Pogacar's success in races that have not traditionally always suited GC riders.
True captain
That their chemistry was great both on and off the bike is underlined by Pogacar's praise for the Italian whom he now views as a good friend, even though they parted ways in 2024.
"You often see someone at races and think they're no good, but then Matteo signed for our team and is now one of my best friends. I learned a lot from him; he was truly a captain on the road. Experienced, intelligent, and an excellent mentor."
Asked to find a comparison among his compatriots, Pogacar gets the same vibe from 2022 Milano-Sanremo champion Matej Mohoric with whom he aligns every autumn for World and European Championships: "If I had to find a similar Slovenian rider, I'd compare him to Matej Mohoric," he concludes.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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