“If anyone can win six Tours, it’s Pogacar” - The quiet architect behind the legacy of the UAE leader's domination

Five Tours de France titles in seven years have firmly placed Tadej Pogačar in cycling’s pantheon. At just 27, the Slovenian now joins the exclusive club of Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, and Miguel Indurain, the only riders to win five editions of the Grande Boucle. Yet inside UAE Team Emirates-XRG, no one believes the story has reached its end. On the contrary. The aim now is to write a completely new chapter.

And if anyone knows the champion’s potential better than most, it is Joxean Fernández “Matxin”, the sporting director who has spent years building the Emirati squad’s winning project. In an interview with Diario AS after the Tour, the Basque coach made no effort to hide his conviction about his leader’s future. “If someone can win six Tours, that’s Pogacar,” he said matter-of-factly, hinting that a sixth yellow jersey is no longer utopian but a perfectly attainable target.

The reflection gains weight when viewed through history. In sporting terms, the absolute record belongs to Lance Armstrong with seven consecutive victories between 1999 and 2005, all of which were later annulled after his involvement in a complex doping scheme was confirmed.

That page was officially erased, and the historical benchmark reverted to the five wins of Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, and Indurain. Now, Pogacar has the chance to become the first cyclist of the modern era to surpass that mark without the asterisk that defined one of the sport’s deepest crises.

But the Slovenian’s dominance cannot be explained solely by his extraordinary physical gifts. Behind him stands a sporting structure that has reached a rare level of excellence, with much of the credit belonging to Matxin.

The Spanish manager has built a team that goes far beyond simply assembling the world’s best riders. His main strength lies in his closeness to the group.

The trust he builds with his cyclists, the constant communication, and the ability to create a family atmosphere repeatedly appear in the testimonies of those around him. It is no coincidence that some of the peloton’s biggest talents have developed under his guidance.

Matxin explained that the human side is his greatest source of pride this season. “The human quality of the people, the connection and the family atmosphere” are, to him, UAE’s true strength. He even recalled the accident during the Tour, when the team car braked automatically after an incident with Einer Rubio. Rather than talking about results, he highlighted that Pogacar was the first to check on him, a gesture that, he admitted, left a deep mark.

That bond also explains unusual images from this Tour, such as the yellow jersey himself sacrificing to help Isaac del Toro in the fight for the final podium. For Matxin, that team spirit represents the project’s essence. “It’s the most beautiful thing. The hugs, the affection,” he summed up.

His influence does not end with day-to-day management. The Basque continues to work intensely as a talent spotter. He recalled that Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel, and Isaac del Toro all crossed his radar years before becoming global stars, and he acknowledged he remains in constant contact with numerous young riders to follow their progression.

Meanwhile, Pogacar’s calendar could still hold a major challenge in 2026. Although UAE has not officially confirmed his programme, the latest reports from specialist media suggest the Slovenian will be on the start line of the next Vuelta a España.

If confirmed, he would target a race that remains one of the biggest gaps in his extraordinary palmarès.

For Matxin, however, the horizon stretches far beyond a single race. “There are many dreams left and a lot of work to do,” he told Diario AS. A line that perfectly sums up the philosophy of a team not content with dominating the present and already working to extend an era that threatens to become one of the most significant in cycling history.

If Pogacar maintains his current level and the block led by Matxin keeps operating with the same precision, a sixth Tour looks like a matter of time. And the seventh—the number long tied to a legacy undone by doping—could finally find a new owner able to restore its full sporting value.