Teammate reveals one of Tadej Pogacar's surprising training habits "out of respect for Remco" Evenepoel

Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel are two generational talents and it is with no doubt that they respect each other quite a lot. They are the World Champions on the road and time-trial respectively, and Rune Herregodts reveals that during training sessions on the time-trial bike, the Slovenian purposefully hides his rainbow bands.

"There is a very friendly atmosphere here. Very open, very receptive. If you are a bit social as a newcomer, you are immediately accepted. No cliques at all," Herregodts told Het Nieuwsblad after joining UAE Team Emirates - XRG this winter, before being asked about Tadej Pogacar. "It has been said a thousand times that he is a very normal guy. That is really true".

"Imagine: the whole team is sitting at a table and you were to put a camera on it. Then you would show that footage to someone who knows nothing about racing and ask him which of all those guys is the best rider ever. I don't think they would pick Tadej. He gets along with everyone so easily".

Herregodts was a surprising signing coming from Intermarché - Wanty, but until now seemingly an ideal deal for both sides. The Belgian has quickly adapted to the new structure and has already supported Jhonatan Narváez to victory at the Tour Down Under - now, he is likely to support Tadej Pogacar to victory at the UAE Tour.

On the stage to Jebel Jais, his hours-long work at the front of the peloton didn't go unnoticed, and it is the kind of thing the Belgian does best. "First control until the foot of the climb, then as a team set the pace the entire climb. But when you see how Tadej finishes it, that's what you do it for as a rider. Super nice".

"That is one of the strengths of the team. When Tadej is not there, we have a lot of riders who are given a free role and who are then very eager to show themselves," including the 26-year old, of course, who should race the cobbled classics and the Tour of Flanders supporting the Sloveniaan. "That was already evident last year in the Tour of Flanders. UAE had three men in the top five. This year Tadej will be added, and Florian [Vermeersch], and [Jhonatan] Narvaez, and even Tim Wellens who sacrificed himself last year. Do the math: we're going to start the Tour of Flanders with seven riders who can finish in the top five".

However what Herregodts perhaps admires the most in his teammate is a detail he noticed whilst training together in Spain over the past few months. "Do you know what I thought was great? During training we sometimes switch from a regular bike to a time trial bike. Then he always insists on taking a regular jersey with him, in addition to the rainbow jersey he was wearing," he reveals.

"Out of respect for Remco. He would rather ride with a jersey in his pocket all the time. He even rolls up the rainbow bands on his trousers when he is on his time trial bike. Fancy, right? In terms of respect, that counts".