Tim Wellens enjoys supporting Tadej Pogacar but also needs to ride for himself occasionally: "Otherwise I don't think I would be able to push myself to the limit in training"

Cycling
Thursday, 30 January 2025 at 01:00
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2024 was a good year for Tim Wellens who was in the thick of action during all the cobbled classics, became Belgian time trial champion and later went on to assist Tadej Pogacar in completing the Giro-Tour double. So pretty much everything went according to plan. Therefore the ambitions of the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider in 2025 might appear a bit down-to-earth (even if they aren't).

"I’ll be 34 in May, but I’m confident I can still improve this season," Wellens declares in an interview for Het Nieuwsblad. "When I analyse my data, I can see that my engine has grown since I joined UAE in 2023. This is particularly evident in my maximum power over 10 minutes after six hours of racing; my base fitness is much stronger now."

"Cycling has really evolved a lot in recent years, everything is going so fast..." Wellens notices that he has undergone a transformation over the last few years: "In 2019 I was still able to ride the finals of the Ardennes classics (Wellens finished 17th in the Walloon Arrow and 11th in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, ed.), but that is no longer the case. I simply cannot deliver the wattage per kilo that is needed in such races today. It is a bit different in the Flemish classics, and that is partly why I focus more on those races and have come to appreciate them more and more."

"I used to not really be interested in the Flemish spring, but now I’m looking forward to it (laughs)... At this point in my career, the cobbled races suit me much better. That’s why I’m riding a busy program from the Omloop till Roubaix, including Kuurne, E3, Gent-Wevelgem, Waregem and the Tour of Flanders. My calendar will be very similar to 2024, a year I was very happy with. If I can match the results and performances, I would be very happy..."

"When I signed with UAE, I was offered a hybrid role where I would ride for the team in certain races and have responsibilities in other races," the Belgian continues. "Supporting Tadej Pogacar in big races like the last Tour de France, where I contributed to the overall victory, is fantastic. Even exciting. I love that mission, but I also need the chance to play my own card in other races, otherwise I don't think I would be able to push myself to the limit in training."

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