The day a young Marcos Freire challenged Tadej Pogacar and the Slovenian advised Matxín to sign him for UAE Team Emirates
Cycling
Cycling is a sport of self-improvement, effort and talent, and sometimes, stories emerge that make a difference. In this case, the story takes us to the day when a 15-year-old Marcos Freire challenged Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar and earned the respect of all.
Joxean Fernández Matxín, general manager of UAE Team Emirates, is a man who knows the history of Spanish cycling well and has been part of some of the sport's most remarkable feats. Matxín has maintained a close relationship with Spanish cycling legend Óscar Freire since the Cantabrian cyclist was a junior. Now, fate has brought Matxín and the Freire family together again, as Óscar Freire's son, Marcos, has joined UAE Team Emirates in hopes of following in his father's footsteps.
Matxín's gesture of inviting Marcos Freire to a UAE Team Emirates training camp in 2022 was intended to give the young man a complete vision of the world of professional cycling. However, what happened inside that training camp surprised everyone.
Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian star who has dominated the Grand Tours in recent years, challenged Marcos Freire to two sprints. On both occasions, the young Spaniard left the experienced Tour de France champion behind. Marcos Freire's feat did not go unnoticed and left everyone speechless.
"Tadej told me who was that fast juvenile. I explained to him that he wasn't a junior, that he was a cadet and the son of Oscar Freire. He didn't know much about the name of the three-time world champion, but he told me that the kid was good and advised me to sign him in three years," Matxín told El Mundo's colleagues.
Marcos Freire has proven to be a talented and versatile cyclist. According to Matxín, he is stronger than his father and performs better in the mountains, although he still has to face bigger challenges and compete in high-level races to consolidate his name in professional cycling.
The UAE Team Emirates general manager also emphasized the importance of not pressuring Marcos Freire and allowing him to grow up without comparisons to his illustrious father. The young cyclist has a promising future ahead of him, and his story is destined to continue writing exciting chapters in the world of cycling.
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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Marcos Freire. Lo lógico sería que no llegase al nivel del padre, pero si llega a un porcentaje majete de éste 😋 📷 El Mundo
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