Laurens ten Dam has entered the debate surrounding UAE Team
Emirates – XRG, a squad dominating the 2025 Vuelta a España but mired in
internal drama. The team has already won five of the opening twelve stages,
with Juan Ayuso taking two of those victories, yet their success has been
overshadowed by Ayuso’s impending departure and public tensions between rider
and team.
On his Live Slow, Ride Fast podcast, the Dutch coach drew on
the lessons of elite sport to frame the situation. "No one should be
bigger than the team," he said. "There's that book about the All
Blacks by James Kerr: Onverslagbaar in Dutch, Legacy in English."
Ten Dam compared UAE’s current struggles with the culture of
New Zealand’s rugby legends. "That's the team culture there, because if
someone is bigger than the team, you're bound to get into trouble. And I think
that's what's happening now at UAE," he explained.
He suggested that dynamics inside the squad are skewed, with
Tadej Pogacar increasingly central. "Apparently, he can say from altitude
training that Del Toro is the leader, and no one contradicts him. Or he laughs
with his teammates when Ayuso rides 50 meters ahead of the group at training
camp because they want to reach their wattage."
The atmosphere, ten Dam argued, leaves little room for
dissent. "Everyone in the team thinks: I'm going to support Pogi, because
if I don't, I won't be racing anymore. No one in the team is going to say to
Pogi: 'Well, Tadej, it's not very nice to say on Instagram that Del Toro is the
leader.' A team manager isn't going to say that either. Pogi is becoming bigger
than UAE, and that's a recipe for disaster."
Ten Dam drew a parallel with events at Jumbo-Visma during
the 2023 Vuelta. "Roglic had helped build the team; he was the driving
force behind its success, but Kuss rode himself into the red, and the agreement
was to go for him."
Read also
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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