“Tadej Pogacar is incredibly down-to-earth, he treated me as one of his own” – UAE's 2006-born Spanish starlet taken under the wing of all-conquering world champion
Cycling
He’s just 19, but Adrià Pericas already sounds like a rider who belongs in cycling’s biggest team. The young Spaniard has capped off a breakout season with UAE Team Emirates - XRG by reflecting on the surreal moment he found himself training alongside Tadej Pogacar — and discovering that the world’s most dominant rider is, in his words, “an incredibly down-to-earth person.”
“We met in Dubai. What surprised me most was his humility. He’s a really good person and treated me like one of the team,” Pericas told MARCA during the post-season criterium in Saitama.
Learning under Pogacar’s shadow
Pericas’s rise has been fast but measured. After developing in UAE’s Gen Z feeder setup, he stepped up to the professional ranks this year — and wasted no time making an impression. A stage win at the Istrian Spring Trophy, followed by top-ten results at the Tour du Rwanda and Giro d’Italia U23, underlined his potential as one of Spain’s brightest young prospects.
“I started calmly, without pressure. But I saw that I had the level — and the team saw it too,” he said. As well as other riders such as Matthias Schwarzbacher and Mateo Ramirez, Pericas had a chance to shine this year in his level but also with the elite team.
The result was one of the longest contracts in modern cycling: a deal with UAE through 2030. For the Catalan, it’s not just a show of faith, but a reason to breathe easy. “It gives me great peace of mind. I know the step up is big — it’s like climbing two rungs at once — but if you do it gradually, it’s possible.”
Pericas in action
A grounded prodigy with big ambitions
Born in Tona in 2006, Pericas is already a familiar name within Spain’s new generation. His attacking flair and all-round ability first caught attention in 2023, when an image of him keeping pace with Mathieu van der Poel at the Glasgow World Championships went viral. “I’m an all-rounder, I can handle everything. I like aggressive racing,” he explained. “With this contract, my head is calm and my legs can do the work.”
The young Catalan admits his dream race is the Volta a Catalunya, the one he grew up watching from the roadside. “I dream of being on the start line there. It would be special,” he said.
For now, he’s focusing on the next steps — with Pogacar’s example serving as the perfect benchmark. “He’s an incredible person and a phenomenal rider. Seeing how he behaves day to day is inspiring,” Pericas added.
With his first professional victory, a long-term UAE deal, and the respect of the sport’s biggest name already secured, Pericas looks set to be one of cycling’s brightest stories of 2026.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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