"Tadej is the biggest rider in the world right now, and probably will be the biggest rider ever" - Elisa Longo Borghini inspired to become the Pogacar of women's UAE team

After six seasons with the Lidl-Trek team, Italian national champion reigning Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini has joined UAE Team ADQ for 2025. Now, the 33-year-old is looking to take up a similar role within the women's team, as Tadej Pogacar has done for the men's UAE Team Emirates - XRG in recent years.

As mentioned, Longo Borghini finally managed to add a Grand Tour win to her palmares in 2024, taking a narrow GC win ahead of Lotte Kopecky at the Giro d'Italia Women, firmly positioning her as one of the leading lights of the women's World Tour peloton. Already in 2025 too, Longo Borghini has proven her capabilities, taking the overall win on debut for UAE Team ADQ at the recent UAE Tour, taking a stage win in the process, something Pogacar himself will be looking to emulate in the coming weeks.

"In Lidl-Trek we had Mads Pedersen, and for me, he was a big inspiration," recalls Longo Borghini in conversation with Eurosport. "So I'm not starstruck (by being teammates with Pogacar) to be honest. I do recognise that Tadej is the biggest rider in the world right now, and probably will be the biggest rider ever. I have a lot of respect for him and I love the way he's riding his bike and is approaching the races. He really inspires me."

Being the female team's Pogacar is a daunting challenge though, given all the Slovenian has accomplished in his career. "I will probably never be able to do the same that he's doing," admits Longo Borghini honestly. "But surely, he is inspiring not only for myself, but for many, many other young riders, both female and male.

After her recent UAE Tour win, Longo Borghini is next set to be in action back in Italy as she looks for victory at Strade Bianche Donne on the 8th of March, a race she came agonisingly close to winning in 2024.