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
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."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling for
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- And we, what are we doing?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment