"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

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."