Joxean Matxin on Pogacar: "Tadej is by far the best rider I have seen in my career and it is the time to go for the double Giro-Tour"

Tadej Pogacar is racing the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France next summer chasing a mythical double. It'll be a hard task, but UAE Team Emirates' Joxean Matxin believes that it is the right time for the Slovenian to chase the pink jersey and try new challenges.

“The idea with Tadej is to keep changing his goals. In this way we always encourage him. He will still start in the Tour next year, but will also ride the Giro. “It will be the first time in his life that he combines two Grand Tours in one year," Joxean Matxín said in a press conference this afternoon - with the words being collect by Het Nieuwsblad. "He is now 25 years old and we believe that he is ready for it now."

It is an unexpected calendar change that has been revealed over the past 24 hours. Milano-Sanremo, Giro, Tour, Olympic Games and World Championships are all among his goals. Whilst many rumours have circulated within the past few hours on social media, one thing is for certain: The Slovenian will not revalidate his title at the Tour of Flanders. "As a result, he will not be able to ride cobbled classics," Matxin tells.

With Jonas Vingegaard, and a luxurious startlist that prepares itself for the Tour de France, the battle will always be hard. At the Giro d'Italia however the Slovenian should find a more modest field and as it stands, he is the absolute favourite to conquer the pink jersey if he is to arrive there with normal form. “Fingers crossed. Tadej is by far the best rider I have seen in my career and it is the time to go for the double Giro-Tour.”