"There is a relaxed atmosphere and I enjoy that" - Mathieu van der Poel's new teammate explains why he chose Alpecin-Deceuninck over UAE Team Emirates - XRG
Cycling
Over the winter, Gal Glivar made the step up to the WorldTour,
joining Alpecin-Deceuninck from UAE Team Emirates – XRG training team. The 22-year-old
Slovenian has already made an impression, and in a recent interview with In De
Leiderstrui, he reflected on his ambitions and early experiences with his new
team.
"I am a rider who can let loose on short, explosive
climbs and I am also not slow in a sprint with a small group," Glivar said.
"My short-term ambition is to make a good start in the WorldTour, but in
the long term, I want to win big races and participate in the Tour de
France."
Glivar has been a rising talent in Slovenian cycling for
years. A national junior champion in 2019, he won the 2024 national under-23
road championship, secured victory at the Tour of Sharjah, and finished second
in the national elite road race.
His integration into the team has been smooth, and he is
enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.
"The first months have been really great with the team.
There is a relaxed atmosphere and I enjoy that, I have to say."
Glivar began his 2025 season at the Tour Down Under, where
he got his first taste of WorldTour racing.
"It was hot. And tough," he smiled. "But it's
really fun to race at this level and I'm happy to be involved. It's faster and
everyone is really in shape, so you have to make sure that's the case for
yourself too."
The move to Alpecin-Deceuninck was a natural fit for Glivar,
given his admiration for the team's aggressive racing style.
"Alpecin-Deceuninck was my favourite team because of
the races they won and the way they did it. That was already the case when I
was still racing for the UAE development team, so I'm very happy to be riding
for them now. They always ride aggressively, that's something that suits me
very well."
At just 22 years old, he remains focused on his development,
"I'm still developing, so the future will show how far I can get."
Glivar is on the provisional start list for some of
cycling’s biggest races coming up, including Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico and
the Critérium du Dauphiné.
"If I am healthy and in good shape, it is possible that
I will ride those races."
A major milestone will come at Tirreno-Adriatico, where he
is set to race alongside Mathieu van der Poel for the first time.
"I haven't spoken to him yet, but I have spoken to
Jasper Philipsen. They are very normal guys, just like everyone else in this
team."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- 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
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment