Pogacar, van der Poel, van Aert, Pedersen... Luke Rowe tasked with leading AG2R in the classics to beat "generation of super freaks who win almost everything"
Cycling
Luke Rowe has retired from pro cycling at the end of this season after over a decade at INEOS Grenadiers, and has taken on the new challenge of being a DS for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale. He will be in the car during the classics period with the team and looks to help it overcome giants such as Pogacar, van der Poel and van Aert.
"It’s a strange change, especially because I had to stop a year and a half earlier than I had hoped due to an injury after a fall," Rowe said in conversation with In de Leiderstrui. "In a way that’s shit, but that’s also part of life: when one door closes, another one opens. I’m a happy man". Now on the other side of the peloton, Rowe will make his debut as a DS in the new few months.
That could've been the case with INEOS, but the Welshman wanted a change and a new challenge. "That possibility was there, certainly. We spoke to each other and I actually got an offer. But I think it would be too comfortable in a way, because I know the riders there so well. They are not only colleagues, but also good friends. To become a team manager there would perhaps be difficult in a way. I cannot say anything bad about INEOS, they have always been good to me".
With Oliver Naesen, Stan Dewulf and Stefan Bissegger as their main weapons for the classics according to him, it will be difficult to match the likes of the top riders. However he believes the team can be right behind and still hunt for top results.
"We need to find an answer to the million dollar question: if you don’t have Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert or Mads Pedersen, how do you achieve success?" he asks. "That is the million dollar question. And we don’t have the answer to that yet, but we are going to try. There is now a generation of super freaks who win almost everything".
Overall however, it was a decision that Rowe does not regret, and he explains that he is quite happy and feeling like a 'new man' after exiting the constant grind that is being a pro rider. "I have a lot more time. I have children aged six and three, so I can spend more time on them. The biggest change, however, is that you are no longer tired".
"In fact, I was constantly tired for thirteen years. When your children ask you to go to the park or play football after a five-hour training session, you always think about your recovery and your performance. But now you just say ‘yes’ and I really enjoy that".
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Joyeux Noël 🎄🎅 Profitez de vos proches, on se retrouve très vite 🫶
— DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE TEAM (@decathlonAG2RLM) December 25, 2024
Merry Christmas 🎄🎅 Enjoy your loved ones and see you soon 🫶#DECATHLONAG2RLAMONDIALETEAM - © Pauline Ballet / Charlotte Lindet pic.twitter.com/5j7VYJFIBs
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James2631826-12-2024 - Not sure that can be true, in that USA Cycling is part of the UCI.acem8226-12-2024
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